German minister warns against unacceptable delays to 10bn euro satellite project

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Tuesday urged timetable and budget discipline for a planned ​military satellite project valued at 10 billion ‌euros ($11.45 billion), saying delays were unacceptable given current threats to security.

"We cannot afford delays in these times," Pistorius said ​during a visit to satellite maker OHB in ​Bremen.

Germany's armed forces are expected to award contracts ⁠for the project - dubbed SATCOMBw4 - around the end ​of 2026.

Designed to give the Bundeswehr sovereign space-based ​communications capability similar to SpaceX's Starlink network, the project is expected to involve about 200 satellites, with an initial fleet of roughly ​40 that could enter service from 2029.

"The Bundeswehr ​needs these capabilities," Pistorius said, citing requirements for early warning, ‌reconnaissance, ⁠detection and communications in space.

The system would enable autonomous global command-and-control capabilities and help Germany meet its NATO commitments, he added.

OHB is working with Rheinmetall and, ​according to government ​and industry ⁠sources, Airbus Defence on the project. Concerns have been raised that the consortium ​structure could limit price competition.

Pistorius warned ​that threats ⁠to satellites were already a reality, saying countries were investing heavily in offensive counter-space capabilities.

Germany plans to ⁠invest ​a total of 35 billion euros ​in space security by 2030, he added.

-Reuters