The company's CEO Armin Paperger is interested in programs “planned by the German military for the next 4 years and involving costs of 35 billion EUR“, which reflects Berlin's desire to reduce its dependence on Washington.
The leading German defense company Rheinmetall is considering participation in three German space programs. The Financial Times (FT) reported this, citing the company's CEO Armin Paperger.
According to him, Rheinmetall intends to participate in tenders with partners for this purpose. This reflects Berlin’s desire to reduce its dependence on the US, the publication said.
In December, German lawmakers approved the company’s first contract to produce satellites worth up to €2 billion as part of a joint venture with Finnish aerospace company ICEYE. Rheinmetall holds a 60% majority stake in the joint venture, while ICEYE holds a 40% stake. The first satellite is expected to be produced at the company’s plant in Neuss, Germany, in 2026.
Rheinmetall is also in talks with aerospace company OHB about a joint project to put communications satellites into orbit to create a German alternative to Starlink for the German armed forces. According to the FT, the talks are at an early stage. As part of the project, the companies will create a joint venture that will apply for a government subsidy to build a satellite constellation in low Earth orbit.
This program makes Germany the third largest investor in space technology in the world, after the United States and China.