Germany is considering investments of €35 billion as part of a military space spending plan to counter Russian and Chinese threats in orbit. This was reported to Reuters by the head of the German Space Command, Michael Traut.
According to him, Germany will create an encrypted group of more than 100 military satellites called SATCOM Stage 4 over the next few years. Traut stated that the network will reflect the Pentagon's model of deploying satellites in low Earth orbit for communication and missile tracking.
The official mentioned that Germany will direct funding towards reconnaissance satellites, sensors, and systems designed to incapacitate enemy spacecraft, particularly lasers and equipment capable of targeting ground infrastructure.
He noted that the country will prioritize small and large German and European suppliers.
He emphasized that Germany does not intend to place weapons in orbit that could create space debris. According to him, there are several ways to impact enemy satellites, including jamming signals, lasers, and actions against ground control stations.
Last week, Reuters reported that the Rheinmetall group is in talks with the German satellite manufacturer OHB for a joint bid on an unnamed German military space project. In addition, three other leading European companies – Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo – are striving to create a European alternative to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite communication.
Leave a comment