SINGAPORE: Germany is weighing investments ranging from spy satellites and space planes to offensive lasers under a 35 billion euro ($41 billion) military space spending plan aimed at countering growing threats from Russia and China in orbit, the country’s space commander said.
Germany will build an encrypted military constellation of more than 100 satellites, known as SATCOM Stage 4, over the next few years, the head of German Space Command Michael Traut told Reuters on the sidelines of a space event ahead of the Singapore Airshow.
He said the network would mirror the model used by the US Space Development Agency, a Pentagon unit that deploys low-Earth-orbit satellites for communications and missile tracking.
Rheinmetall is in talks with German satellite maker OHB about a joint bid for an unnamed German military satellite project, Reuters reported last week.
The potential deal comes as Europe’s top three space firms — Airbus, Thales and Leonardo — are seeking to build a European satellite communications alternative to Elon Musk’s Starlink.
