Media: EU expands satellite intelligence to cut reliance on US

The European Union is moving to expand its satellite intelligence capabilities as it seeks to reduce reliance on the United States, with the bloc’s satellite analysis hub preparing for further growth amid heightened geopolitical tensions.

The European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen) is scaling up its operations against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and broader security challenges, according to Intelligence Online. The push reflects a strategic effort by EU member states to strengthen independent intelligence-gathering capacity.

SatCen Director Louis Tillier has urged governments to sustain investment in the agency following a 15% budget increase across 2025 and 2026. The expansion is being driven in part by Europe’s ambition to lessen its dependence on U.S. satellite intelligence resources.

Currently, around 80% of the imagery used by SatCen originates from European sources, while 98% is procured from commercial satellite operators. Demand for the centre’s services has surged, with analysts producing more than 6,000 intelligence reports over the past year, largely due to the war in Ukraine and instability in the Middle East.

The agency is also broadening its operational scope. This includes intensified monitoring of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” enhanced surveillance of critical subsea infrastructure, and the deployment of artificial intelligence tools for automated image analysis, damage assessment and early-warning functions.

Looking ahead, SatCen is expected to play a central role in the development of the EU’s planned Earth Observation Government Service (EOGS), a system designed to consolidate and advance the bloc’s satellite-based intelligence capabilities.

By Tamilla Hasanova