Odin’s Eye to develop EU space-based, missile-warning system

BERLIN — The European Union is investing €90 million ($97 million) to jumpstart the event of a satellite-based missile early warning system, with a consortium of 43 corporations from 14 nations beginning work on a simulator.

The venture, led by Bremen, Germany-based OHB System AG, in 2021 acquired an preliminary €7.5 million from the European Fee to check “area situational consciousness and early warning capabilities.” The brand new venture, titled Odin’s Eye II, expands upon these research and strikes issues ahead by launching the design section. Introduced late final yr, it carries an anticipated price ticket of €96.6 million, in keeping with a reality sheet posted on the EU web site.

The EU-level funding comes out of the European Defence Fund, with some extra, direct contributions from taking part governments. Norway, though not an EU member, can also be concerned within the venture.

The satellite tv for pc system is supposed to reinforce European international locations’ capabilities within the areas of well timed warning, technical intelligence, proliferation management and missile protection. It particularly seeks to detect and observe ballistic, hypersonic and anti-satellite weapons, in keeping with the grant reality sheet and an OHB’s assertion.

A number of of the corporate’s subsidiaries are additionally a part of the consortium. OHB Hellas, a Greek-based outfit, and Digital Join, based mostly in Mainz, Germany, are liable for the bottom phase, information evaluation and on-board processing.

The coalition of corporations from throughout the continent additionally contains a number of giants of the European protection trade, together with Airbus, the Ariane Group, Leonardo and Thales

In line with OHB, Odin’s Eye will function a pillar of the French-led, European TWISTER venture. Tornado hopes to trace area threats “by a mixture of enhanced capabilities for space-based early warning and endo-atmospheric interceptors,” in keeping with that venture’s official description.

“Europe’s sovereignty and protection functionality can even be determined in area, and a devoted early warning functionality is important in regard of the present geopolitical state of the world,” stated Sabine von der Recke, the accountable board member at OHB.

The corporate was unable to supply additional data on this system’s timing and mission specifics by press time.

Lately, the European Union has launched into a push to reinforce its space-based surveillance talents. Other than Odin’s Eye and Tornado, in 2021 it funded the Ariane Group-led Sauron venture, which additionally had the purpose of enhancing area situational consciousness, and the Vitrociset-led Integral, which dealt primarily with the alternate of delicate operational information.