NATO steps up satellite coverage on Russia’s borders

Bloomberg reported the information.

NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Pierre Vandier, said the new tool will, for the first time, enable the alliance to monitor “huge areas”, including maneuvers, troop movements, and battlefield operations.

“Today we’re not certain the Russians will stop at Ukraine,” said Vandier, stressing the importance of reassuring countries on the alliance’s eastern flank. “We’ll be able to tell them: we’re watching,” he added.

NATO announced Wednesday it has selected U.S.-based satellite imagery company Planet Labs for its new initiative, Smart Indication And Warning Broad Area Detection (SINBAD). The program aims to conduct frequent, year-round scans of global regions, using AI to detect changes and issue timely alerts.

According to a NATO official who requested anonymity, the technology could also be used to monitor the Arctic, a region of growing importance amid rising Russian and Chinese ambitions there.

NATO began developing space surveillance following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. SINBAD is a pilot project set to launch ahead of a broader rollout planned for January 2026, an alliance official said.

• NATO leaders are set to approve raising defense spending to 5% of GDP, with a portion allocated to support Ukraine, potentially strengthening its Defense Forces significantly.
• NATO chief Mark Rutte is urging stronger collective defense, warning that the Russian threat will remain even after the war in Ukraine ends.