Poland joins Iris2, the EU satellite network, a backbone of encrypted satellite communications for European governments and public agencies, considered a rival to Starlink.
Yesterday in Warsaw, Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński and European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius signed the agreement whereby the country commits to investing 656 million euros of the remaining resources from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Pnrr) in Iris2.
“It will be a completely independent system that will guarantee us security and full autonomy,” Kierwiński said. He added that Poland will be “one of the six main players” in building the Iris2 constellation in Europe and “one of the pillars” of the secure communications network for the entire continent. Poland’s contribution will represent about 10% of the constellation’s value.
All the details.
WARSAW WILL PARTICIPATE IN IRIS2
Thus, with this agreement Poland will participate in Iris, the European Union project worth 10.6 billion euros, which plans the deployment of 290 satellites by 2029 to create a unified space communication system. With this project, the EU aims to position itself in the management of satellite systems currently dominated by Starlink, Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite internet service.
On December 16, 2024, the European Commission signed the concession contract for Iris2 with the SpaceRise consortium (composed of Ses, Eutelsat, and Hispasat), which also involves Thales Alenia Space, Airbus Defence and Space, Ohb, Telespazio, Deutsche Telekom, and Orange, who will develop, deploy, and manage the new European Union system. At present, no Iris2 satellites are in orbit, unlike the over 10,000 Starlink satellites.
Earlier this year, the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, indicated 2029 as a possible date for the start of initial services, emphasizing the need to accelerate the program’s development. “I have asked all partners to intensify and accelerate work on IRIS2. I am confident that we will be able to implement initial services by 2029,” Kubilius said in a speech in Brussels. Industry analysts note that the timeline remains ambitious, considering that full system operation is expected in the early years of the next decade.
A POLISH CONSTELLATION WITHIN IRIS2
Yesterday, in the Polish capital, Commissioner Kubilius described the agreement as an important day for Poland, for NATO’s eastern flank, and for the European Union as a whole. “By investing in space, Poland invests in its security, its economy, and its future,” he said, adding that the agreement will make the country “a driving force” on the eastern flank.
“And beyond investing, Poland is also paving the way for a truly new European approach: adding a Polish module to a European satellite constellation,” Kubilius explained, insisting that “In this way Poland will have greater capabilities, and with it all of Europe.”
In this regard, the European Commissioner recalled that “Last year the Commission announced that the remaining funds from the Recovery and Resilience Facility could also be used for security, defence, and space. Regarding space, these funds could be integrated into the Iris2 program.” The Polish government decided to join this scheme, building a Polish constellation within Iris2.
Thus, “By integrating the Polish system with Iris2, Poland chooses to join the European Union rather than proceed alone, bringing added European value,” Kubilius emphasized.
A STING FROM COMMISSIONER KUBILIUS TO THOSE MOVING INDEPENDENTLY?
This last observation sounds like a subtle jab at those in the old continent planning to move independently in the secure satellite communications sector.
Germany is indeed working on creating a secure, military-grade satellite communications network in low Earth orbit (LEO) for the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces. According to reports earlier this year from German media, Airbus Defence & Space and the duo formed by Rheinmetall and Ohb are reportedly considering submitting a single bid for the German tender for the Bundeswehr’s 10 billion euro military communications system.
The project thus runs alongside the European Union’s Iris2 program. According to European parliamentarians cited by Reuters, this national initiative comes at a time when the EU is seeking to strengthen its strategic autonomy, also in light of the reduction of US support under Donald Trump’s presidency. “If Germany now builds a purely national architecture not integrated into Iris2, it risks weakening European structures,” said Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the European Parliament’s security and defence committee, at the end of March.
Meanwhile, other countries are also moving in this direction: Italy is considering its own low Earth orbit satellite network for civil and military uses, although the project is still in a preliminary phase.
