FMV orders satellites for the Swedish Armed Forces

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has signed agreements with satellite operators Planet Labs and ICEYE for the delivery of space systems and associated services to the Swedish Armed Forces. The order includes satellites with both electro-optical sensors and SAR (synthetic aperture radar) technology. The first satellites, part of a planned constellation of about ten units, are to be delivered in 2026, advancing the build-up of the Armed Forces' space capability by four years from the originally planned timeframe around 2030. According to FMV, the satellites will contribute to the Armed Forces' long-range capabilities by providing access to intelligence and sensor data from space. The procurement was completed in about six months. "From idea to contract, it has taken six months, and this is a major leap for the Armed Forces' space capability. FMV and the Armed Forces have worked closely in an integrated project team to simplify processes and thus speed up the work, and FOI has contributed as expert support in that work," says Carl-Fredrik Edström, head of FMV's aviation and space business area, in a press release. The space domain is a relatively new area of materiel within both FMV and the Armed Forces and is now developing rapidly. The order is part of the Armed Forces' ongoing rearmament and is included in Sweden's defence and security strategy for space, adopted in 2024