Rheinmetall and Space Norway are teaming up to jointly enhance space-based maritime surveillance capabilities in the Arctic and High North.
Rheinmetall AG and Space Norway AS have this week signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop orbital capabilities for defence, with a specific focus on Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA).
As per a Rheinmetall statement, the plan is to combine the firm’s satellite-based high resolution X band SPOCK 1 search-and-rescue capability with Space Norway’s C-band SAR surveillance system.
Via X band detection, Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions, based in Neuss, enables high-resolution surveillance of individual targets. The Norwegian C-band SAR will complement this by offering broader regional coverage of extensive maritime areas.
Together, the plan is for the two systems to be linked and data-fused to offer a more comprehensive MDA capability.
The Rheinmetall statement noted: “Continuous and actionable maritime domain awareness in the Arctic and the North Atlantic is becoming an increasingly critical operational requirement for modern armed forces.
“In an environment characterised by vast distances, challenging weather conditions and growing strategic importance, timely access to reliable information is crucial.
“The ability to continuously monitor large maritime areas, detect relevant activities at an early stage, and rapidly transform data into actionable intelligence is essential for situational awareness, decision superiority and effective operational action.”
The collaboration forms part of the Hansa Agreement Germany and Norway, which seeks joint development of sovereign and future-oriented defence capabilities.
Rheinmetall’s Digital Systems Division CEO Timo Haas called the MoU a “milestone” and added: “Our focus is on close, practical cooperation in reconnaissance and maritime surveillance.”
Space Norway CEO Morten Tengs commented: “We see particularly strong potential in large area maritime surveillance and in the development of corresponding sovereign capabilities.”
- You can read more details on the Rheinmetall website and the Space Norway website