According to a confidential draft from the German Finance Ministry sent to the Bundestag’s budget committee – reported by the “Spiegel” – the “Spock” radar‑satellite system for the Bundeswehr will already be more expensive than originally planned. The draft estimates an additional cost of up to €579.5 million.
The ministry stated that the precise financing needs for the operator contract were only clarified during the final tender process scheduled for the end of 2025, so they could not be factored into the 2026 budget. It adds that waiting for the next budget law would not be acceptable: the new armored brigade is set to begin operations in Lithuania on 1 October this year, and a later start of the “Spock” system could jeopardise the safety of units on the ground.
Radar satellites can capture imagery even under adverse conditions. The Bundeswehr intends to deploy the technology for its new Brigade 45 in Lithuania, enabling early detection of potential mobilization and deployment activities by adversarial forces.
The contract was signed via direct award to the German‑Finnish joint venture Rheinmetall Iceye Space Solutions (RISS). The initial price for the system was €1.76 billion. If the Bundeswehr exercises additional options in the contract, a higher cost envelope has already been planned – exceeding €2.7 billion and potentially reaching that level as late as 2033.