30.10.2025

Credit: OHB

France and Germany have committed to field a space-based missile warning system by 2030, solidifying their plans to lead a European effort to plug that capability gap.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin committed to the accelerated timeline for the program, called Jewel, during a recent meeting, the French ministry said Oct. 24. The system will comprise an early warning satellite component and ground-based radars.

The two countries also said they would work to bring other European states onboard.

The European Union's Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has repeatedly called for a European early warning system.

Jewel initially is due to comprise French and German geostationary satellites developed at least in part through the European Odin's Eye program led by OHB. The effort also is supposed to facilitate real-time data exchange, the French ministry said, and be ready to receive contributions from others.

France, which in recent months has been advocating for greater use of high-altitude systems, said sensors on such platforms could be part of the architecture.

Quelle: AVIATION WEEK