Germany is building its own military satellite communications network in a landmark move toward strategic autonomy, as Berlin no longer wants to rely on Elon Musk's Starlink for battlefield communications.
Defense giants Rheinmetall and OHB are developing the sovereign satellite network, according to Il Sole 24 Ore, marking Europe's most ambitious attempt yet to break free from American tech dependence in critical military infrastructure.
The initiative comes as European defense officials have grown increasingly wary of relying on commercial American satellite services controlled by unpredictable billionaires. Musk's erratic behavior—from threatening to cut Starlink access to Ukraine to his political interference across European elections—has made the case for European space sovereignty impossible to ignore.
Brussels decides more than you think. This isn't just about satellites. It's about whether Europe can defend itself without permission from Silicon Valley.
Rheinmetall, Germany's largest defense contractor, brings weapons systems expertise, while OHB specializes in satellite technology. The partnership signals Berlin's recognition that future warfare requires guaranteed, sovereign access to space-based communications that cannot be switched off by a foreign CEO.
The German project is part of a broader European push toward strategische Autonomie—strategic autonomy—that has accelerated dramatically since Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the return of protectionist American trade policy.
The European Space Agency is simultaneously developing IRIS², a constellation intended to provide secure governmental communications across the EU by 2030. But Germany's bilateral Rheinmetall-OHB project suggests Berlin isn't willing to wait for Brussels bureaucracy when battlefield communications are at stake.
The timing reflects fundamental shifts in the transatlantic relationship. European governments watched Musk use Starlink as geopolitical leverage in Ukraine, threatening to limit access during critical phases of the war. They've seen him attack European leaders on social media, fund far-right parties, and leverage his technological monopoly for political ends.
France has long advocated for autonomie stratégique in defense and technology. Now Germany—traditionally more Atlanticist—is building its own independent satellite constellation. That's a seismic shift in European strategic thinking.
The military satellite network would provide secure, jam-resistant communications for the Bundeswehr and potentially allied European forces. It represents the kind of dual-use technology—civilian and military applications—that Europe has historically relied on America to provide.
But reliance breeds vulnerability. And Europe is done being vulnerable to the whims of American tech moguls and unpredictable American presidents.
The project faces enormous technical and financial challenges. Building and maintaining a satellite constellation costs billions. Rheinmetall and OHB will need sustained political commitment and defense budget increases to make this work.
Yet the political will appears to exist. Germany's new defense posture—anchored in the €100 billion Bundeswehr modernization fund and the commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defense—creates space for exactly these kinds of sovereignty-building investments.
The question isn't whether Europe can afford to build its own military space infrastructure. After watching Musk play geopolitical games with Starlink, the question is whether Europe can afford not to.
Brussels decides more than you think—and Berlin just decided it's done asking Silicon Valley for permission.
