Dutch industry has presented a concept to provide Ukraine with faster and more effective support from space in the future. The plan is to accelerate the construction and launch of sophisticated satellite systems that will detect radar and communication systems from space and identify potential threats at an early stage.
State Secretary Gijs Tuinman officially accepted the concept entitled “Military Use of Space” on May 8 in The Hague. With the help of these satellites, Ukraine could locate enemy targets more precisely and react accordingly.
Tuinman had previously expressly asked the industry for an accelerated proposal. The planned systems are not only intended to help Ukraine (-> current news from the Ukraine war), but also to provide the Dutch armed forces with additional and improved reconnaissance data. The Dutch Defense Space Security Centre (Defensie Space Security Centre) is already showing interest in the expanded satellite capacity – with the aim of being able to gather military information independently in the future.
“The urgency is great – and that is clear to everyone involved,” says State Secretary Tuinman. “Funding, expertise and resources must go hand in hand.”
A network of five partners was involved in the proposal. A central role is played by FSO, which has developed technologies for laser satellite communication together with the Ministry of Defense and TNO. VDL-ETG is also contributing its experience in the industrial series production of satellites, while ISISPACE is already actively implementing satellite projects for the Ministry of Defense.
The consortium is complemented by long-standing research partners TNO and NLR, who support the armed forces with scientific expertise. Also on board is the technology company S&T, which specializes in antenna systems, data processing and precise positioning, navigation and timing solutions, among other things.
