• Rheinmetall and ICEYE Secure €1.7 Billion German Military Contract for Space-Based Reconnaissance
DÜSSELDORF, Germany – Rheinmetall, in a joint venture with satellite firm ICEYE, has secured a contract valued at approximately €1.7 billion to provide space-based reconnaissance data to the German Armed Forces.
The agreement will supply imagery from a dedicated synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation to support NATO’s eastern flank.
What is new?
Rheinmetall has received a major order from the German Armed Forces for a space-based reconnaissance system. The contract, valued at approximately €1.7 billion gross, was commissioned by Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw). The deal includes an option for extension and will run from the end of 2025 to the end of 2030.
Key Details
The reconnaissance capability will be delivered by Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions, a new joint venture established by Rheinmetall and ICEYE, a leading manufacturer and operator of SAR satellites.
Based in Neuss, Germany, the joint venture will provide a high volume of SAR images from its own exclusive satellite constellation. The service includes full satellite operations, ground station management, and AI-driven image evaluation. The satellite constellation will remain the property of the joint venture. Production of the first satellites is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026 at the Neuss facility.
Strategic Impact
The space-based reconnaissance data is intended primarily to protect the German Armed Forces’ ‘Lithuania Brigade’ and to secure NATO’s eastern flank. The project is known within the Bundeswehr as ‘SAR Space System for Persistent Operational Tracking Stage 1,’ or ‘SPOCK 1’. Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, stated that modern armed forces depend on access to space-based reconnaissance and that the company is working with European partners to achieve this. Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and co-founder of ICEYE, noted that space-based intelligence is a “tactical instrument” and that the agreement represents a new model for how nations can secure strategic and tactical advantage from space.
About the Technology
The system uses synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, which project a radar beam from an orbit of 500 to 600 kilometers to create a detailed image of the ground. Because SAR technology uses its own radar illumination instead of sunlight, it can capture imagery day and night and see through clouds, smoke, rain, and sandstorms. This allows for more frequent image collection and persistent coverage compared to traditional optical systems. The technology can detect subtle changes on the ground and deliver imagery with a resolution of up to 16 cm.
About this company
Rheinmetall is a German defense and automotive technology group producing military vehicles, air-defense systems, munitions, and sensors. The company also describes itself as a provider of digital systems. Its partner in the new venture, ICEYE, is a manufacturer and operator of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites. Their joint venture, Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions, is based in Neuss, Germany, and was established to provide space-based intelligence services.
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