Germany’s armed forces have gained direct access to several dedicated synthetic aperture radar (SAR) reconnaissance satellites under the SPOCK 1 program, according to Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions.
The Bundeswehr can independently task the satellites to collect imagery, while the company operates the spacecraft and continues to expand the constellation.
This arrangement supplements the military’s existing access to radar reconnaissance through other satellites.
The dedicated capability is primarily being used to support the protection of Germany’s brigade in Lithuania and monitor NATO’s eastern flank.
SAR Satellites
SAR satellites transmit radar signals toward Earth and process the reflected returns to produce images of its surface.
This allows them to collect imagery at night and through cloud cover, supporting the sustained, all-weather surveillance planned under SPOCK 1, the first phase of a national radar reconnaissance system.
Alongside satellite operations, Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions has begun production at its Neuss facility in Germany.
The site brings together manufacturing, integration, testing, and quality assurance, with the company aiming to produce and certify several dozen satellites for launch each year.
Expanding Space Capabilities
Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions was established last year as a joint venture, with Rheinmetall owning 60 percent and Finnish satellite manufacturer ICEYE holding the remaining 40 percent.
Dedicated satellite access comes less than a year after Rheinmetall and ICEYE secured a 1.7-billion-euro ($1.9 billion) contract to provide the Bundeswehr with reconnaissance data through exclusive access to a SAR constellation. The program runs through 2030, with options for extension.
The rollout comes as Berlin considers broader investment in military space capabilities, with long-term plans that could involve spending up to 35 billion euros ($41 billion) on space projects.