Technology

Germany prepares a 'military Starlink': Rheinmetall and OHB working on a sovereign satellite network

According to the Financial Times, Rheinmetall and OHB are considering a partnership for a German military satellite network

26 January 2026

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Berlin accelerates military space and paves the way for a new European strategic infrastructure. According to the Financial Times, the project is intended to provide the Bundeswehr with a safe and autonomous system, comparable in capacity to the Starlink network developed by SpaceX.

The discussions between the two industrial groups are still at a preliminary stage, but they are part of a context of strong expansion of public spending: Berlin has announced a 35 billion euro plan for military space technology, with the aim of strengthening operational capabilities and reducing dependence on non-European suppliers, primarily the US.

The future system - described by military circles as a veritable 'Starlink for the Bundeswehr' - should consist of a constellation of LEO satellites capable of ensuring resilient and secure communications for military and intelligence operations. An infrastructure considered crucial especially in light of the lessons learnt from the conflict in Ukraine, where commercial satellite systems have proven to be instrumental in maintaining communications on the battlefield even under extreme conditions.

According to Armin Fleischmann, space coordinator of a division of the German Armed Forces, the project will be developed 'mainly with German companies' and will have the eastern flank of NATO as its operational priority. Germany is in fact strengthening its military presence in Lithuania, where the creation of a permanent brigade of 5,000 soldiers is planned. The technical specifications of the programme have already been defined and the competent authorities are working on launching the tender.

For Rheinmetall, historically specialised in tanks, artillery and ammunition, space represents a new growth frontier. At the end of last year, the group won its first major contract in the sector, worth up to EUR 2 billion, for the production of radar satellites in cooperation with the Finnish company Iceye. Radar technology allows surveillance activities even in clouds, bad weather or at night, and is considered particularly suitable for military applications.

For its part, OHB - already a satellite supplier for the European navigation system Galileo - sees the project as a strategic opportunity. The Bremen-based company is in fact facing increasing competitive pressure, not least because of the hypothesis of integration between the space activities of Airbus, Thales and Leonardo. A concentration that, according to CEO Marco Fuchs, would risk penalising competition in the European satellite sector.

As the continent's third-largest satellite manufacturer, OHB is aiming to expand its portfolio in the military segment, also by leveraging its existing experience in supplying radar satellites to the German armed forces. The prospects of strong growth in government spending have already prompted the group to revise its revenue and profit estimates for 2025 and 2026 upwards.

The military satellite network project is part of a broader geopolitical framework: with the new investments, Germany is set to become the world's third largest investor in space, after the United States and China. This is a clear sign of Europe's desire to build autonomous technological capabilities in a domain - space - that is increasingly central to security and defence.