- The Portuguese Air Force signed a contract with ICEYE for its first directly procured SAR satellite to support ISR and national security missions.
- ICEYE will deliver an all-weather, day-and-night imaging satellite providing persistent surveillance of Portugal’s territory and Exclusive Economic Zone.
The Portuguese Air Force has formally signed a contract with ICEYE for the direct acquisition of a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, marking the first time the service will fully own and control a space-based intelligence asset.
The announcement, made jointly by ICEYE and the Portuguese Air Force, represents a major step in expanding Portugal’s space-based surveillance capabilities.
The new satellite will deliver persistent all-weather, day-and-night imaging capabilities critical to national security missions, military operations, and maritime domain awareness. The agreement follows an earlier June 12 arrangement in which Portugal’s CTI Aeroespacial also procured an ICEYE SAR satellite, to be operated by the Air Force. However, the new contract marks the first direct procurement and full ownership by the military service itself.
In a statement, ICEYE said its technology will provide Portugal with flexible and rapid tasking capabilities to support both defense and civilian requirements.
“This agreement represents a major step forward in strengthening Portugal’s sovereign space capabilities and demonstrates the Air Force’s commitment to innovation and operational excellence,” said Jordi Laguarda, Vice President, Missions Spain and Portugal at ICEYE. “We are proud to support the Portuguese Air Force as they advance their mission in the new space domain.”
ICEYE’s radar satellite is designed to deliver high-resolution imagery regardless of weather or lighting conditions. Its frequent revisit rates and persistent coverage make it ideal for real-time monitoring of critical areas, including Portugal’s vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Atlantic Ocean.
General João Cartaxo Alves, Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Air Force, described the acquisition as a transformational moment.
“This is a historic moment for Portugal in general and for the Portuguese Air Force in particular,” General Alves said. “By acquiring its own capabilities to operate in space, the Air Force enters a new dimension, where Space has replaced the sky as the new operational frontier.”
He added that the satellite will support surveillance over land, sea, and air—strengthening the Air Force’s ability to respond to both security and humanitarian challenges.
“This technological innovation strengthens the autonomous capacity of the Air Force to ensure permanent surveillance of the national territory – on land, at sea, and in the air – under any weather conditions,” he said. “It will enhance the Air Force’s ability to conduct military operations with greater precision and effectiveness, while also supporting emergency management and the sustainable use of resources.”
With this acquisition, the Portuguese Air Force becomes the operator of two SAR satellites, but this is the first under full military ownership. ICEYE’s small, rapidly deployable SAR satellites are part of a growing trend among NATO-aligned nations to secure persistent overhead coverage in support of autonomous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.