Rheinmetall, ICEYE Form JV for Satellite Production

Our Bureau - : May 9, 2025 - : 8:16 pm

Rheinmetall and ICEYE signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 8 May 2025, to establish a joint venture (JV) focused on satellite production. Rheinmetall will hold a 60% majority stake in the new joint venture, named Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions,...

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Rheinmetall and ICEYE signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 8 May 2025, to establish a joint venture (JV) focused on satellite production.

Rheinmetall will hold a 60% majority stake in the new joint venture, named Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions, while ICEYE will hold 40%. The venture is subject to final agreements and regulatory approvals.

As part of a Rheinmetall Space Cluster in Germany, the joint venture will begin by producing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, with plans to expand into other space solutions. Production is set to begin at Rheinmetall’s Neuss site in the second quarter of 2026.

“With the establishment of the new joint venture, we are making further inroads into the space domain,” said Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG. “We are thus not only responding to the increased demand for space-based reconnaissance capabilities among armed and security forces worldwide, but also contributing to the preservation and expansion of Germany as a centre of technology. Our highly qualified colleagues at the Neuss site are being given a promising new perspective for the future. We are delighted to expand our cooperation with our proven partner ICEYE.”

“ICEYE aims to be the primary provider of critical infrastructure for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) to allied nations,” said Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and Co-founder of ICEYE. “We are excited to deepen our strategic collaboration with Rheinmetall by establishing a joint venture. This joint venture further strengthens our focus on developing space-based technology for the needs of global defense markets and securing sovereign defense capabilities for Europe.”

SAR satellites provide high-resolution imaging regardless of weather conditions or time of day, offering detailed insights that can assist armed forces in surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance, and battlefield positioning.

Rheinmetall’s collaboration with ICEYE began in June 2024, when it joined the world’s largest fleet of radar reconnaissance satellites. In September 2024, Rheinmetall secured exclusive rights to market ICEYE’s SAR satellites to military and government users in both the German and Hungarian markets.

In November 2024, Rheinmetall and ICEYE reached a significant milestone by signing a contract with Ukraine, with the support of the German government, to address Ukraine’s urgent need for SAR imaging satellite reconnaissance capabilities.

ICEYE operates the world’s largest synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation, providing continuous, real-time monitoring and delivering actionable intelligence for defense, security, and other sectors. ICEYE’s global presence includes offices in Finland, Poland, Spain, the UK, Australia, Japan, UAE, Greece, and the US.

Rheinmetall / Iceye /

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