The Ministry of Defence has awarded a £127 million contract to Airbus to design and build the Oberon satellite system, boosting the UK’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities while supporting around 200 skilled jobs in Stevenage and Portsmouth, according to a press release.
Set to launch in 2027, Oberon will consist of two Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, capable of capturing day and night-time images of the Earth’s surface in any weather conditions. The project aims to enhance military operations by monitoring adversary activities and contributing to other government tasks, such as natural disaster monitoring, mapping, and climate change tracking.
“Oberon, alongside Tyche and other satellites in our ISTARI constellation, will allow us to observe what’s happening on Earth from space at any time and through any weather,” said Major General Paul Tedman, UK Space Commander. “This will enable and enhance UK and allied military operations around the world.”
Oberon builds on the success of Tyche, UK Space Command’s first satellite, which launched in August 2024. Tyche recently published its first images, capturing strategic locations like Heathrow Airport, Sydney, and Washington DC, demonstrating its ability to gather valuable data for defence and humanitarian missions.
The Oberon project is part of the broader ISTARI programme, which aims to deploy a constellation of ISR satellites and supporting ground systems by 2031. These systems will provide the UK with vital space-based intelligence capabilities, ensuring flexible global monitoring and swift response times to emerging threats.
The contract was awarded via competitive procurement to Airbus, which collaborated with Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) across the UK. Notably, the antennas for Oberon will be provided by Oxford Space Systems, known for its innovative carbon fibre structures that expand into shape once in orbit.
Ben Bridge, Airbus Defence and Space UK Chairman, highlighted the significance of Oberon: “Oberon’s satellites will give the UK a much-needed sovereign capability and greatly enhance its space surveillance autonomy. Once in orbit, these spacecraft will play a vital role in keeping our Armed Forces safe around the world.”
Paul Russell, Space Team Leader at Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), described the project as a collaborative success: “With the award of the Oberon contract, we will deliver the next in a series of game-changing capabilities to UK Space Command, providing the UK military with leading Space-Based Synthetic Aperture Radar.”
At the UK Defence Journal, we aim to deliver accurate and timely news on defence matters. We rely on the support of readers like you to maintain our independence and high-quality journalism. Please consider making a one-off donation to help us continue our work. Click here to donate. Thank you for your support!
Wow £127 million for two SAR satellites, that’s a bargin. We will soon have two EO and two SAR satellites, that’s a proper ISTAR constellation. It’s also very likely that these SAR satellites in future will be part of the solution for AEW/AWACS so hopefully we can build on this success and establish UK launch capability with Orbex this year.
Agree Jim this is excellent news and it seems we are developing a top class independent capability in an area I doubted we would. But yes this capability is increasingly vital as Earth and atmospheric solutions become increasingly vulnerable. The main thing is to keep aware of vulnerabilities to these satellites too. Orbex is interesting, it’s being Govt backed thankfully but development as far as we know is less than stellar so hope to see clear progress this year.
Hi Jim.
We talked of this before. I’m pleased this has been confirmed as I feared SDSR might axe it.
It is interesting how some programs are deferred as “waiting for the defence review” and others like this seem unaffected and can get the go ahead now.
I love this forum, It’s full of important members talking to each other just as if they are actually important. Lol. Seriously, do you actually believe anything you say on here is even remotely influential ?
Do you believe anything you’re saying is influential?
What exactly is the problem with people here discussing and sharing opinions? Are we not allowed to do that? This ain’t Russia!
Trolls mate.
Try to ignore, which is not easy sometimes depending on what crap comes out.
Seeing as parliament, MPs, committees, defence organisations have used this very website in discussions and other situations it perhaps is valuable what commenters say.
Not to mention a lot of people work, have worked in defence and other linked sectors.
“It’s full of important members”
No, just members.
“talking to each other just as if they are actually important.”
No, just two defence enthusiasts discussing a topic. Why not try it instead of being a halfwit?
“do you actually believe anything you say on here is even remotely influential ?”
No.
“I love this forum”
But evidently not enough to join in the conversation in a fitting manner, judging by your opening effort?
Comrade Freddie,
We come on here, regardless of experience in defence matters to engage in a decent chat about UK defence etc
If you dont like it .. do us a favour and sod off
As for ….influential
Well ask the newspapers, social media, armed forces and the ordinary joe bloggs who have interest
Agree, no idea why we have programs that seem to role on and cuts to capabilities that go ahead in spite of the defence review.
I’m starting to think this government doesn’t know what it’s doing.
Plus we’re getting our own low cost GPS system via OneWeb’s LEO constellation.
I do wish BAE hadn’t sold their stake in Airbus, I would prefer if this contract went to a company with some amount of british control on the board. Still, it is good to see the work being done in country at least.
I’m surprised it went to airbus considering there are multiple UK based satellite companies, but assume we are buying an off the shelf design to save money and get capability faster.
All the major UK satellite manufacturers are owned by Airbus now.
127 M? That sounds very cheap, Airbus lost several satellite deals to IAI in the last few years, I hope the technical specs are not degraded
Skip from crows nest directly to satellite, nice thought.
Wouldn’t latency be a significant limitation?
The idea is that the satellites will broadcast directly to the combat platforms so no latency. The satellites will effectively become an off board sensor. It won’t be able to provide direct targeting data for a missile but it can provide AEW for a platform that can then point its own radar at it.
This is very much the USAF solution for replacing E3. They see a system of systems with NGAD providing AWACS and a satellite constellation providing AEW. They only see E7 as an interim capability that will possibly supplement the other systems for a distance.
Now we need to recreate the header image, but with E7,P8 and Rivet Joint.
That does feel like a bargain price for a very significant capability. Are these going to be able to detect ships etc, do you think, or just ground mapping?
It’s two small systems in an enormous sky. Think about it, Where are these going to be ? Over what country, what base, what area of this bid old planet ?
Two small Orbs can only do two small things. This is no big thing.
Is that what the ladies say about your tiny orbs?
Well it probably wont be watching you Russians, given there is not much left to watch in your country… Your turn for the front soon, comrade.
Detecting surface ships is pretty easy if you happen to be looking in their direction. Knowing roughly where to look in the first place is harder.
We in the U.K. have had the scientists and engineers for decades. Gaining sovereignty even at this late date is an overdue advance.
True. But as they say; better late than never.