Space Security Index

Space Support for Terrestrial Military Operations
Commission to propose ways to cut program costs by €500–700-million. 274 While engineers
are studying how to reduce costs, an additional estimated €1.2-billion will be needed to
cover the rest of launch and development costs, with at least €750-million needed each year
to operate the system. 275 One suggestion has been to launch the remaining satellites using
Russian Soyuz vehicles instead of Ariane 5 launchers. 276 Such a move may run counter to a
policy of technology independence, which led to the removal of Chinese-built search-andrescue
payloads on the IOV satellites in March. 277 e policy also prevented Europe from
purchasing equivalent equipment from Canada, an associate ESA member. 278 Furthermore,
a resolution adopted in November asked all government agencies “to consider as a high
priority the use of launchers developed in Europe.” 279
Eorts to increase military space cooperation among European governments have met with
mixed results. In May, OHB Technology was awarded a €14-million contract to operate
ground stations that would allow French and German military forces to access each other’s
optical and radar satellite systems — Helios 2 and SAR-Lupe, respectively — under the
Europeanization of Satellite-Based Reconnaissance program. 280 Also taking shape, driven
mainly by budgetary pressures, is a proposal for French and British militaries to cooperate
in a next-generation satellite telecommunications program. Seeking to manage concerns
over national sovereignty, as well as diverging policies and schedules, the two heads of state
in November endorsed a detailed study to explore a common system in which at least two
countries could participate and which could succeed their existing individual systems. 281
France and Italy continued to move to greater cooperation. On 9 February, CNES signed
a €280-million contract with ales Alenia Space for the construction and launch of an
EHF/Ka-band satellite, the Athena-Fidus, for civilian and military uses. e satellite,
which will carry one payload each for the Italian and French governments, will be equally
nanced by both countries and will be launched in 2013-2014. 282 A 4-ton class military
telecommunications satellite, Sicral 2, is to be launched aboard an Ariane 5 in 2013 under
a €295-million contract with ales Alenia Space and Telespazio signed in May. 283 It will
carry two communications payloads to be used independently by French and Italian military
forces and to support existing bandwidth provided to NATO. 284 e combined program, in
which Italy will fund 68 per cent of the costs, allowed both countries to reduce expenditures
while reinforcing their tactical satellite communication capabilities. 285
e Multinational Space-based Imaging System (MUSIS), a multiyear eort involving
France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Greece, and Spain to develop a common ground segment
for next-generation space-based reconnaissance systems, remains stalled. e countries
involved have been unable to agree on a number of issues, including who will contribute
existing or planned assets to the MUSIS architecture. 286 France and Italy continue to update
their own national systems. France awarded Astrium Satellites a €795-million contract for
two reconnaissance satellites to succeed Helios-2, the rst of which, to be launched in 2016,
could take part of the multinational MUSIS architecture. 287 e contract for these two
satellites, part of the CSO (Optical Space Component) Constellation, includes an option
for a third satellite to be built if other countries join the CSO program as part of the MUSIS
eort. 288 France has not said how long it is willing to wait for the partners to decide on CSO
collaboration; in the meantime, Poland and Sweden have expressed interest in joining the
program. 289
Italy’s last of four COSMO-SkyMed radar satellites was successfully launched aboard a Delta
2 on 5 November. 290 e launch provided the constellation with full operating capability
and may oer opportunities for expanded international cooperation. Japan, Australia,
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