APOGEE STAFF
A wide-ranging cooperation agreement signed by Italy and the United States in October 2024 included the strengthening of national security ties in critical areas such as space domain awareness and commercial integration, according to the Breaking Defense website.
“The U.S.-Italy Space Dialogue’s purpose is to strengthen cooperation and advance bilateral collaboration in space matters,” a joint statement by the countries declared.
Italy launched its Space Operations Command in 2020 and is one of the few European countries operating its own fleet of military satellites. The Italian Ministry of Defence is developing an updated version of its Sicral telecommunications satellites, which can be used for communications and remote sensing. Italy also is working to field a new generation of dual-use synthetic aper- ture radar satellites to replace its aging constellation.
The joint statement stressed the need for tighter ties between the two NATO allies due to the “growing scope of counter-space and related threats and potential adversaries increasing use of space to track and potentially target” allied forces. The partners pledged “to strengthen the coordination of national security space activities with other allies and partners around the globe, including by leveraging innovative commercial space capabilities, to ensure access to critical space-based services and improve space domain awareness” as well as satellite cybersecurity.