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Polish PM Tusk announces plan to develop domestic Starlink-like military satellite system
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Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on September 9, 2026, at the MSPO defense show in Kielce that Poland will develop its own Starlink-like military satellite communications system. The announcement followed the signing of a letter of intent between Finnish space company ICEYE and Poland's state-run defense giant PGZ. Tusk emphasized the critical importance of communications on the modern battlefield, citing lessons from the Russian-Ukrainian war. The program is scheduled for implementation from 2026 to 2030. ICEYE will act as the technology partner, responsible for satellite system architecture, platform design and manufacturing, and satellite operations. PGZ will organize the domestic industrial base, leveraging its production capabilities and technical infrastructure. The cooperation builds on the existing MikroSAR program, under which ICEYE has delivered synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites to the Polish military. The project aims to establish independent Polish capabilities for developing and maintaining a space-based communications system.
Source report
WARSAW, Poland — Finnish space company ICEYE and Poland’s state-run defense conglomerate PGZ have signed a letter of intent to jointly develop a military satellite communications system, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced.
Tusk stated that the project will lay the groundwork for a domestic system similar to SpaceX’s Starlink.
“The culmination of the process that began today can and will be a Polish Starlink,” Tusk said on September 9 at the MSPO defense show in Kielce. “Anyone closely following the Russian-Ukrainian war knows how important communications are. It is absolutely critical. Without communications, you have nothing to look for on the modern battlefield.”
According to a PGZ statement, the program is scheduled for implementation between 2026 and 2030.
Existing Cooperation
ICEYE already has an ongoing partnership with PGZ on an Earth observation system for the Polish Armed Forces. The Finnish company has delivered synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites to Poland’s military under the MikroSAR program. This system is designed as the first component of the military space capabilities toolkit that Warsaw plans to develop in the coming years. The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has accelerated Poland’s efforts to enhance its reconnaissance capabilities.
Program Scope
PGZ outlined the cooperation’s objectives:
- Draw on experience gained through the MikroSAR program
- Develop a space segment based on a distributed architecture
- Develop domestic ground infrastructure
- Establish industrial capabilities for independent system development and maintenance in Poland
Roles and Responsibilities
ICEYE described the partnership as complementary:
- ICEYE will serve as the technology partner, responsible for:
- Developing the satellite system architecture
- Designing and manufacturing the space platforms
- Conducting satellite operations
- PGZ will contribute industrial and organizational capabilities, including:
- Organizing the program’s domestic industrial base
- Identifying group companies that will contribute production capabilities, expertise, and technical infrastructure
Jaroslaw Adamowski is the Poland correspondent for Defense News.
Source
Defense NewsWestern
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Poland announces plan to develop domestic Starlink-like military satellite system by 2030