Air Force watches live from space on the battlefield
The Netherlands is working with a Finnish company to build its own space information network for the military.
Published on June 23, 2025
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Soon, the Dutch Air Force will be able to watch in real time on the battlefield, from space. Until now, this has been mainly reserved for Americans, but that is about to change. The first of four new satellites equipped with sensitive radar will be launched shortly. The satellites are being built by the Finnish company ICEYE.
Bombers in sight
Remote airfields with heavy bombers in enemy territory will soon no longer be invisible. At present, it is mainly the Americans who obtain such crucial information from space. More than half of all satellites are in their hands. That is about to change.
MIVD to analyze images
According to the MIVD, the satellites are a useful addition to their intelligence resources. They will be responsible for analyzing the images.
600 kilometers above the ground
The four new satellites are about the size of a small refrigerator. They weigh around 90 kilograms and are equipped with radar. Each satellite flies at an altitude of 600 kilometers and passes over the Earth's surface about fifteen times a day.
2028: an extra satellite
In 2028, the Ministry of Defense will launch an additional satellite developed in-house: the PAMI-1. This device, built in the Netherlands, will enable Earth observation via photographs and will also use laser communication. This will make it virtually impossible to intercept transmitted data.
