The Polish Armed Forces Group and ICEYE signed a letter of intent in Kielce on the improvement of the concept of military satellite communications strategy MILSATCOM. Ultimately, the Polish Army is to gain dozens of satellites and a ground section to operate them, which will bring it self-sufficiency in this area.
Letter of intent Polish Armed Forces Group and ICEYE was the last paper signed during this year's edition of the global Defence manufacture Salon in Kielce. Thus, both entities officially began working on a concept of fast and resistant to demolition of the MILSATCOM satellite communications system. Eventually, the army is to gain dozens of its own satellites and the ground section for their operation. The implementation of the programme is planned for 2026–2030. The aim is to accomplish full operational capability by the system.
– Military satellite communications strategy is designed as distributed, full encrypted and under Polish control. It is simply a network of many co-operating satellites, in which each communication node increases the resilience of the full strategy – emphasises Rafał Modrzewski, president and co-founder of ICEYE. – The Polish Armed Forces Group brings us together experience gained from the program MicroSAR. We believe that we will besides now be able to accomplish specified a complex and in many respects a breakthrough task – he adds. In a akin speech he speaks Adam Leszkiewicz, CEO of PGZ-etu. – Building national capabilities in the area of satellite communication is an investment in state sovereignty for decades. In PGZ, we consistently implement a model in which the acquisition of modern, innovative technologies goes hand in hand with the improvement of Polish industry's competences. Together with the ICEYE we want to make a solution that will not only respond to the needs of the Armed Forces of Poland, but will besides let to build fresh design, production and operational competences in the space sector in Poland," she notes.
A witness to the signing of the agreement was the host at the Premier Donald Tusk Fair. He recalled that Polish army consistently develops space capabilities. Among another things, he does this in cooperation with the mentioned company ICEYE. At the moment, there are 4 made by it in orbit, and the military uses SAR satellites. They supply soldiers with precise imaging of the earth's surface, regardless of the time of day and weather. “By the end of the year we will have 9 satellites and we will not halt there,” said Tusk. In Europe, we became a leading partner. And the finality of this trial, which began today, may be Polish Starlink. It's not just a substance of our national satisfaction. Anyone who watches the Russian-Ukrainian War closely knows how crucial communication is. This is absolutely crucial, without it there is nothing to look for in the modern battlefield," Tusk said.
He pointed out that Poland, thanks to the talents of its entrepreneurs, good organization and determination, can become an example of how to build cosmic autonomy. – Let me be clear: Polish and European safety must not depend on the whim of 1 man, and without its own satellite communication we cannot talk about full security. I am convinced that we will accomplish this goal – concluded the Prime Minister.
