The Air Force has directly acquired its first satellite, representing an extremely significant milestone in national Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities from space. Under the agreement signed with ICEYE, a global leader in this field, the Air Force will receive a state-of-the-art Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, which promises to offer unique advantages for the country, including observation capabilities in all weather conditions, day and night, and rapid revisit rates, ensuring persistent and reliable monitoring regardless of environmental conditions.

This acquisition will provide the Air Force with enhanced persistent surveillance, situational awareness and national security capabilities, as well as supporting Portugal's broader ambitions in the space domain and defence modernisation. Direct ownership of a satellite gives the Air Force full control and flexibility over data acquisition and mission planning, enabling rapid response to military missions, maritime security challenges, environmental monitoring and safeguarding national interests, including the protection of Portugal's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and its natural resources.

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General João Cartaxo Alves, explains that “this is a historic moment for Portugal in general and for the Portuguese Air Force in particular. By acquiring its own capabilities to operate in space, the Air Force is entering a new dimension, where space has replaced the sky as the new operational frontier. This technological innovation reinforces the Air Force's autonomous capacity to ensure permanent surveillance of the national territory – on land, at sea and in the air – under all weather conditions. This new equipment will increase the Air Force's capacity to conduct military operations with greater precision and effectiveness, while also supporting emergency management and the sustainable use of resources."

Jordi Laguarda, ICEYE's representative in Portugal and Spain, states that ‘this agreement represents a very important step in strengthening Portugal's sovereign space capabilities and demonstrates the Air Force's commitment to innovation and operational excellence. We are proud to support the Portuguese Air Force as it advances its mission in the new space domain.

This will be the first satellite wholly owned by the Portuguese Air Force and the second to be operated by the institution. It should be noted that on 12 June, CTI Aeroespacial – a Portuguese technology and innovation centre – signed an agreement with ICEYE for the acquisition of a SAR satellite to be operated by the Portuguese Air Force.

These two satellites are the first of the future Atlantic Constellation, a project by Portugal and Spain, which will have a set of satellites capable of providing high and very high resolution images, with intraday revisit, allowing observation and monitoring of our planet from space.