German defense firm partners with Iceye to build SAR satellites

TAMPA, Fla. — German defense contractor Rheinmetall plans to start building synthetic aperture radar satellites next year with Finnish SAR constellation operator Iceye, amid Europe's broader push to bolster military intelligence capabilities. The company signed a deal with Iceye May 8 to own 60% of a joint venture aiming to set up a satellite production facility in Neuss, Germany, where Rheinmetall is anchoring its space expansion plans. Financial terms were not disclosed, and the deal remains subject to final agreements and regulatory approvals. "With the establishment of the new joint venture, we are making further inroads into the space domain,"…