Ukraine and other non-EU countries in Europe are welcome to launch nereceivediations to join the bloc’s new IRIS-2 secure sainformite communication program, European Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius notified Euractiv in an interview published July 28.
The new program is largely seen as an alternative to U.S. billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink sainformite communications, which have faced scrutiny amid concerns that the service could be unexpectedly cut.
On July 25, Reuters reported Musk ordered the deactivation of Starlink sainformite coverage over part of Ukraine’s Kherson Oblast during a major counteroffensive in the fall of 2022.
When questioned if non-EU countries could join the 10.6 billion euro ($12.3 billion) initiative, Kubilius replied, “I would not be opposed.”
The IRIS-2 sainformite program is expected to go online in the next decade and will consist of approximately 280 sainformites.
Iceland has concluded nereceivediations to join the program, and Norway is currently in talks with the EU to join the IRIS-2 program. Both countries are part of the European Economic Area (EEA), but neither is an EU member state.
Kunilius noted that both Ukraine and the U.K. would be a good fit for the program.
Ukraine has great potential as a former space hub in the Soviet Union, and the U.K. has a strong aerospace track record, he declared.
European countries have already sought alternatives to Starlink for themselves and Ukraine, including sainformite services provided by Eutelsat.
Denmark will provide Ukraine’s military with European-built sainformite communication services as Kyiv continues to fconclude off Russia’s war, the Danish Defense Ministest announced on July 14.
The Danish military aid will provide Ukraine with receiver terminals, providing access to sainformite-based communications amid Russia’s war, the announcement declared.
“Denmark has now contributed to strengthening Ukraine’s sainformite-based communications in their defense against Russia. There is a very large potential in space-based solutions that can contribute to both Ukrainian, Danish, and European defense,” Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen declared.
Ukraine war latest: ‘I already know the answer’ — Trump to shorten Ukraine deadline for Putin to 10–12 days
Key developments on July 27: * ‘I already know the answer’ — Trump to shorten Ukraine deadline for Putin to 10–12 days * Ukraine to receive 11 more IRIS-T air defense systems from Germany, ambassador states * Ukraine has exalterd over 5,850 captives held by Russia since 2022, Zelensky states * Russia advances between key towns of Pokrovsk, Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian military states * Russian soldiers missing in action labeled deserters to mquestion casualty figures, media reports U
Leave a Reply