[For more diverse corporate information on startups, please visit the "Data Lab" of the Unicorn Factory big data platform .]
ICEYE Korea, the Korean subsidiary of European satellite company ICEYE, announced on the 6th that it recently demonstrated a concept for providing onboard satellite intelligence support to the Republic of Korea Navy using commercial satellites during a joint training exercise with the Navy and Marine Corps.
Founded in 2014, ICEYE is Finland-based and operates a constellation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, supplying satellite information for defense and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance, and disaster and emergency response sectors.
The deployable satellite intelligence operations system (ISR Cell) deployed for this training is a system that relocates the functions necessary for satellite intelligence operations to the operational field by linking with its own SAR satellite constellation. Without relying on fixed ground stations, it plans imaging in the field, receives data captured by satellites, and processes and analyzes them into SAR images.
ICEYE Korea loaded a mobile vehicle with scaled-down ISR Cell functions onto a Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) and provided SAR satellite information throughout the entire training period. It carried out the entire process of satellite intelligence operations, from establishing imaging plans to image acquisition, analysis, and field utilization, from a warship maneuvering at sea rather than from fixed ground facilities.
Dedicated personnel were assigned for operations. The acquired SAR images were displayed in the command facility within the warship so that commanders could verify them immediately on site, and imaging plans were adjusted to match changing training conditions to continuously provide information necessary for situational assessment.
During the support period, ICEYE's SAR satellites detected vehicles concealed under camouflage nets and also captured the location and shape of a warship maneuvering on the nighttime sea with its lights blocked out.
Because SAR satellites observe the ground surface using radio waves, they are less affected by clouds, bad weather, or day/night conditions. This training confirmed that these characteristics allow them to be used as means for continuous situational awareness and information support in maritime and coastal operational environments.
The Korean military is strengthening its capability to rapidly assess situations on the ground by linking various information assets while expanding the use of manned-unmanned teaming systems. In this training as well, operational conditions were assessed in real time using satellite imagery, with ICEYE providing support.
An official from ICEYE Korea stated, "Carrying out the entire process of satellite intelligence operations using commercial satellites from a warship maneuvering at sea is a world first," adding, "We validated an operational concept showing that commercial SAR satellite information can be used to complement military information assets and secure information on areas of interest."
ICEYE Korea has provided SAR satellite imagery for domestic military training and exercises over the past several years, verifying the potential and utility of military applications. The company explained that this onboard support marked an expansion of the ISR Cell's operational scope to include maritime environments.
Park Soon-ho, Senior Team Leader of ICEYE Korea's ISR division, said, "We will expand verification and support tailored to various training and operational environments so that commercial SAR satellite assets can be established as a reliable means to complement existing information assets."
[MoneyToday startup media platform "Unicorn Factory"]
in FUTURE
