Rheinmetall and Finnish synthetic aperture radar (SAR)-based Earth observation specialist ICEYE are expanding their co-operation and have signed a teaming agreement, Rheinmetall announced on 11 September 2024.
As part of the agreement Rheinmetall will integrate ICEYE capabilities into its next-generation battlefield systems. In addition, Rheinmetall and ICEYE are pursuing joint opportunities in several markets globally, including Germany and Hungary, where Rheinmetall now has exclusive rights to distribute ICEYE SAR satellites to military and government end-users under the agreement.
“The space domain is an integral part of a defence strategy and of great relevance to our military clients,” Armin Papperger, Rheinmetall CEO, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “We are convinced that our combined capabilities will enable us to develop innovative approaches to offer customised solutions for our military customers in the future.”
In June 2024 Düsseldorf-based Rheinmetall had already announced its participation in the ICEYE constellation – the world’s largest fleet of radar reconnaissance satellites – with a view to making space-based reconnaissance data usable on the tactical battlefield.
SAR satellites offer an advantage over conventional satellites in that they can generate high-resolution images regardless of weather conditions or time of day. These are very detailed and make even the smallest objects on the Earth’s surface identifiable. This can bring decisive advantages for armed forces in terms of surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance or their own positioning on the battlefield.
