Berlin’s standalone system comes amid a broader defense build-up and deepening divisions within the bloc
Germany’s push for a standalone military satellite network, independent of a parallel EU program, has alarmed some lawmakers in Brussels, who warn that the move risks weakening the bloc, according to Reuters.
The plan comes amid a broader militarization drive by Germany and the EU, framed by Western officials as a response to an alleged threat from Russia, a claim Moscow has dismissed as “nonsense.”
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in September that Berlin would invest €35 billion (over $41 billion) in military space technologies over the next five years, citing various risks, including in orbit.
Under a proposal first reported in January, weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall, satellite maker OHB, and Airbus are collaborating on a constellation of around 100 low-Earth-orbit satellites dedicated exclusively to military communications. The system would use technology similar to SpaceX’s Starshield, a government network integrated with Starlink.
The EU, meanwhile, is developing IRIS2, a bloc-wide constellation of roughly 290 satellites designed to provide connectivity for governments, militaries, and commercial users. The initiative has been presented as a European alternative to Starlink and Starshield, aimed at reducing reliance on non-European providers.
“If Germany now builds a purely national architecture that is not integrated into IRIS2, there is a risk of weakening European structures,” Reuters quoted Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the chair of the European Parliament’s security and defense committee, as saying.
A German government spokesperson told Reuters, however, that Berlin views IRIS2 as potentially “complementing” national initiatives, adding that the proposed system is tailored to the specific needs of the country’s military.
The development comes as divisions persist within the EU over defense, trade, and relations with Washington. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, initially seen as a pro-European figure, has increasingly emphasized national interests following shifts in US policy under President Donald Trump.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has urged member states to adopt a “wartime mindset” and boost military spending. Moscow has repeatedly warned that the militarization of space risks turning it into a new arena of confrontation.
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