Germany wants to develop its own version of Starlink
The German army is embarking on an ambitious initiative to establish a massive satellite constellation, aiming to become one of the world’s leading operators of space fleets, second only to SpaceX’s Starlink. By 2030, the Bundeswehr plans to deploy up to 1,200 satellites, reflecting the strategic conviction that dominance in space is now a precondition for victory in modern warfare on Earth.
This far-reaching strategy is divided into two main components. The first, SATCOMBw Stage 4, consists of around 200 satellites designed to create a secure communications network. The second, and considerably larger, project is known as SPOCK 2, under which up to 1,000 satellites will be deployed for continuous reconnaissance and operational tracking.
The urgency behind this expansion is largely driven by the conflict in Ukraine. Although Starlink has proven indispensable for coordinating drone attacks and battlefield intelligence, the fact that it is owned by a private entity is a strategic vulnerability. Germany wants to avoid such dependencies by developing its own sovereign infrastructure, so that its aircraft, ships and ground forces can communicate worldwide without relying on the goodwill or stability of a foreign company.
To achieve this, a joint venture has been formed, consisting of OHB, Airbus Defence and Space and Rheinmetall, to bid for the SATCOMBw Stage 4 project. This partnership marks a significant change of course for Rheinmetall, which is expanding its portfolio from traditional armoured vehicles and ammunition into space technology.
The consortium plans to manage the full life cycle of the system, from initial construction to cyber security and operations in orbit. This shift fits into a broader trend in which European defence companies are competing for growing space-related budgets.
Permanent surveillance
From a technological perspective, Germany is departing from its previous model. The existing SATCOMBw Stage 3 system uses just two huge satellites in a high geostationary orbit. Stage 4, by contrast, will use a constellation of smaller satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). Although LEO satellites need to be replaced more frequently due to atmospheric degradation, they offer significantly lower latency and more consistent global coverage.
The reconnaissance project SPOCK 2 grew out of the earlier SPOCK 1 project – a collaboration between Rheinmetall and Iceye in which radar satellites were produced in a converted car factory. The new version will massively increase the number of satellites equipped with radar and cameras, allowing military leaders to track enemy movements almost in real time. Experts argue that such a large number of satellites is necessary to achieve the permanent surveillance required for modern combat operations.
Financially, the German Ministry of Defence has set aside around €35 billion for these space capabilities. Once the network is fully operational, maintenance costs are expected to amount to €1 billion per year, mainly because the short lifespan of LEO satellites requires continuous launch cycles to replace worn-out units.
Although the vision is clear, the actual implementation is still very much in progress. The SATCOMBw Stage 4 contract is expected to be awarded around 2027, after which the system will be fully operational in 2030. In the meantime, the technical details of SPOCK 2 are still being finalised, which means that the goal of a fleet of 1,200 satellites remains a long-term objective rather than an immediate reality.
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