Germany to Monitor Security of its Brigade in Lithuania from Space

Germany will monitor the security of NATO’s eastern flank from space, with a particular focus on its brigade deployed in Lithuania.

Rheinmetall announced this on its website.

For this purpose, the German Armed Forces have signed a major contract to receive space-based intelligence data from Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions, a joint venture between Rheinmetall and ICEYE.

The military will receive the data through exclusive access to a constellation of satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which enables high-quality imaging regardless of weather conditions or time of day.

The contract, which runs from late 2025 through the end of 2030, is valued at approximately €1.7 billion. In addition, there is an option to extend it.

The company said that the scope of deliveries includes a ‘very large number’ of images per day.

It also noted that the space intelligence data will be used primarily to protect the 45th Armoured Brigade (Panzerbrigade 45) of the German Armed Forces in Lithuania and to ensure the security of NATO’s eastern flank.

The decision to deploy a German brigade in Lithuania is determined by an official agreement between Germany and Lithuania, signed on December 19, 2023.

The headquarters of Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions is located in Neuss, Germany.

As the majority shareholder, Rheinmetall AG owns 60% of the joint venture, while ICEYE Oy holds 40%.

The memorandum on establishing the joint venture for satellite production was signed in May 2025.

As part of the cooperation between Rheinmetall and ICEYE, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites also provide intelligence imagery to Ukraine.