Ukraine, ICEYE & Nokia sign satcom defence agreement

ICEYE and Nokia have signed a Letter of Intent with Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence to explore cooperation in space, focusing on sovereign satellite communications to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities.

The agreement was announced during the visit of Finland’s Prime Minister to Ukraine. It builds on an earlier ICEYE-Nokia partnership to develop secure, sovereign, high-performance broadband low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications systems for governments. These systems, based on trusted European technology, are designed for defense, border security, emergency services, and disaster response, giving nations ownership and control of the satellites, ground segment, and terminals. Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and co-founder of ICEYE, said: “Ukraine needs secure, sovereign and high-performance satellite communications systems that it controls. We have a proven track record of delivering sovereign missions at speed to help build that capability. ICEYE has proudly supported Ukraine since 2022, and we remain committed to continuing that support.”

Mikko Hautala, Nokia’s Chief Geopolitical & Government Relations Officer and Chairman of Nokia Defense, added: “Satellite networks extend and protect connectivity when networks on the ground are disrupted. Through this Letter of Intent, together with Ukraine and ICEYE, we will explore how trusted, sovereign satellite communications can strengthen Ukraine’s resilience and give it control over the connectivity it depends on.”

ICEYE operates the world’s largest SAR satellite constellation for persistent monitoring. Nokia provides global connectivity infrastructure with security by design. The Letter of Intent is an early step; specific timelines and funding have not been disclosed.