Helsinki, Finland. The technology group Rheinmetall and ICEYE, the global leader in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite operations, have completed the establishment of their joint venture, Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions GmbH, based in Neuss, Germany. As the majority shareholder, Rheinmetall AG holds 60 per cent of the shares in the joint venture, while ICEYE Oy holds 40 per cent.
Just five months after the announcement in May 2025, the joint venture is now officially established. Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions will commence operations in 2025, with the first satellite to be manufactured locally in 2026.
With the establishment of the new joint venture, Rheinmetall is strengthening its activities in the space sector. In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in demand for space-based reconnaissance capabilities among armed forces and security forces worldwide.
As part of the cooperation between Rheinmetall and ICEYE, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites are already providing reconnaissance images for Ukraine’s defence against Russia.
SAR satellites offer an advantage over conventional satellites as they can generate high-resolution images regardless of weather conditions or time of day.
ICEYE delivers unparalleled persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth, faster and more accurately than ever before.
Owning the world’s largest synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation, ICEYE provides objective, near real-time insights, ensuring that customers have unmatched access to actionable data, day or night, even in challenging environmental conditions.
As a trusted partner to governments and commercial industries, ICEYE delivers intelligence in sectors such as defence and intelligence, insurance, natural catastrophe response and recovery, security, maritime monitoring, and finance, enabling decision-making that contributes to community resilience and sustainable development.
Rheinmetall is a leading international systems supplier in the defence industry and at the same time a driver of forward-looking technological and industrial innovations in the civilian markets. With its technologies, products and systems, Rheinmetall creates the indispensable foundation for peace, freedom and sustainable development: security.
