German defense company Rheinmetall and Finnish satellite manufacturer ICEYE Oy have launched a joint venture, Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions GmbH, focused on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite technologies.
Under an agreement signed in Berlin by Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger and CEO and co-founder of ICEYE Rafał Modrzewski, the German firm holds a 60 percent stake while ICEYE retains 40 percent.
The joint venture will be based in Neuss, Germany, with operations set to begin this year and the first satellite scheduled for local production in 2026.
ICEYE operates one of the largest SAR satellite constellations globally, providing near-real-time imagery under all weather and lighting conditions.
“In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in demand for space-based reconnaissance capabilities among armed forces and security forces worldwide,” stated Rheinmetall, noting that the partnership with ICEYE is expected to help strengthen the Düsseldorf-based company’s presence in the space sector.
Joint Projects
The recent agreement builds on the existing partnership between ICEYE and Rheinmetall.
In a previous initiative, the two companies deployed SAR satellites to provide high-resolution reconnaissance support to Ukraine under a German funding program last year.
SAR systems enhance Ukrainian forces’ capabilities in surveillance, target identification, and battlefield positioning.
As part of the collaboration, Kyiv also received dedicated satellite capacity and access to ICEYE’s full constellation, allowing it to utilize the entire fleet for operational purposes.
In September 2024, Rheinmetall and ICEYE strengthened their cooperation, with Rheinmetall obtaining exclusive rights to market ICEYE’s SAR satellites to military and government customers in Germany and Hungary.
