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Brussels is considering the creation of a new satellite network for military intelligence as doubts grow regarding the U.S.’s commitment to European defense.
This was reported by the Financial Times.
The system aims to partially replace American capabilities after President Donald Trump suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine this month, highlighting Europe’s dependence on the U.S.
“Given changes in the geopolitical situation, the European Commission is considering expanding its satellite capabilities to improve geospatial intelligence support for security,” said Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius in an interview with the Financial Times.
The new satellite network will be used to detect threats such as troop movements and coordinate military actions.
Discussions have only just begun, but the commissioner stated that the EU needs a network to complement other programs used for navigation and Earth observation.
It should provide updates more frequently than the low-orbit Copernicus satellite, which tracks climate changes and natural disasters but generates images only every 24 hours.
Acknowledging that the project will be costly and take time, Kubilius said he would ask member states if they were interested in a “temporary commercial approach.”
According to him, the system will operate in low Earth orbit. He added that the best commercial systems can track targets and military deployments with data updates every 30 minutes.
The Commission is also procuring IRIS², its own multi-orbit broadband network in low Earth orbit. This year, it will complete the Govsatcom program, which integrates the satellite systems of member states.
It is worth noting that on Tuesday, President Donald Trump’s administration agreed to restore military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Kyiv stated it was willing to support Washington’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia.
Read also: Putin cannot be allowed to “play games” around Ukraine ceasefire – Starmer
