Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions to provide SAR reconnaissance data to German military

by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Dec 19, 2025
Rheinmetall and ICEYE have received a major contract from the German Armed Forces for space-based reconnaissance, with the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support commissioning Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions to deliver exclusive access to a synthetic aperture radar satellite constellation.

The joint venture Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions, based in Neuss, will operate the constellation and supply a high volume of SAR imagery, including satellite operations, ground station management and AI-supported image evaluation as part of an integrated service. The satellite system will remain under the ownership of Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions throughout the contract.

The contract has a gross value of about 1.7 billion euros and includes an option for extension beyond its initial term. The German Armed Forces intend to use the space-based reconnaissance capability primarily to support the Lithuania Brigade and strengthen surveillance along NATO's eastern flank.

Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, said: "We are grateful for the great trust that the Bundeswehr has placed in us in the field of space technology. Modern armed forces depend on access to and control of space-based reconnaissance, communications, and mission control. As a provider of digital systems, we are working with our European partners to achieve this."

Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and co-founder of ICEYE, stated: "ICEYE is proud to support Germany and, by extension, the security of Europe through this landmark program. Space-based intelligence is the foundational layer of modern defense, but it is no longer just a strategic backdrop - it is a tactical instrument. We are driving a necessary evolution where single, vulnerable systems are replaced by resilient constellations that deliver timely, actionable insights directly to decision-makers when they're needed most. This historic agreement demonstrates ICEYE's evolution from a New Space pioneer to a premier provider of mission-critical capabilities. By uniting rapid satellite production with advanced analytics, we are creating a new model for how nations secure strategic and tactical advantage from space."

The agreement runs from the end of 2025 through the end of 2030, with options to prolong the service. Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions will deliver a large number of SAR images per day from its own sovereign constellation, with production of the first joint venture satellites scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026 at the Neuss facility.

Within the Bundeswehr, the program is designated "SAR Space System for Persistent Operational Tracking Stage 1" and is known by the acronym "SPOCK 1". The system will employ SAR satellites in orbits between 500 and 600 kilometers that direct radar beams toward Earth, receive the reflected pulses and process them into detailed images of the surface.

Because SAR uses radar illumination instead of sunlight, the satellites can acquire imagery through cloud cover, smoke, ash, rain and sandstorms, providing day-and-night coverage in all weather conditions. This enables more frequent imaging than traditional optical systems and supports persistent monitoring of rapidly evolving situations.

The technology can also detect subtle ground changes that are not visible to the human eye, with imagery resolution reaching up to 16 centimeters.