Japan’s iQPS to provide Ukraine with satellite intel amid US support uncertainty

In response to fluctuating support from the United States, Ukraine is intensifying its efforts to diversify its intelligence sources. The latest development sees Japan stepping in to fill potential gaps. 

According to a report by Intelligence Online, the Japanese space company iQPS (Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space), based at Kyushu University, has signed an agreement to provide geospatial imagery to Ukraine’s military intelligence service, the GUR.  

Satellite imagery provides Ukraine with crucial military intelligence by enabling real-time tracking of Russian troop movements, equipment buildups, and supply routes. It supports the identification and verification of high-value targets, allowing for more accurate and precise strikes while minimizing collateral damage. Additionally, it plays a key role in post-strike damage assessment, helping Ukraine evaluate the effectiveness of its operations and adjust tactics accordingly. 

This partnership with iQPS comes after a temporary suspension of US intelligence support earlier this year. On March 5, 2025, CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed that the US had halted its intelligence sharing with Ukraine. The decision disrupted operations that had heavily relied on US intelligence to target Russian military infrastructure and issue civilian alerts for incoming strikes. 

Compounding the setback, Maxar Technologies, a major US satellite imagery provider, also suspended Ukraine’s access to its services on March 7, 2025, citing an “administrative request.”  

Ukraine looks beyond the US for support 

Although both the US National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and Maxar had restored access by March 18, 2025, the incident highlighted Ukraine’s vulnerability to shifts in US foreign policy.  

As a result, Kyiv has continued to pursue intelligence partnerships beyond the US to protect itself against potential future disruptions. 

European support has already begun to materialize: France confirmed on March 6, 2025, that it was providing military intelligence to Kyiv, while commercial SAR imagery has been pledged by Finland’s ICEYE, Germany’s SAR-Lupe and SARah, and Italy’s COSMO-SkyMed programs. General Patrick de Rousiers, the former President of the Military Committee of the European Union, has advocated for the formation of an intelligence coalition among Ukraine’s allies. 

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Japan now joins that roster. iQPS’s contribution enhances Ukraine’s intelligence capabilities with valuable SAR capabilities, providing persistent surveillance and imaging of conflict zones and strategic assets. The company operates QPS-SAR, a constellation of five synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites that are capable of capturing high-resolution images regardless of weather conditions or the time of day, unlike their optical counterparts. 

Kyiv’s long-term space strategy 

This international engagement aligns with Ukraine’s broader strategic objectives in the space sector. In a column published in the Ukrainian military media Militarnyi on April 9, 2025, Kateryna Chornohorenko, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Defense for Digital Development, Digital Transformations and Digitalization, revealed plans to co-develop satellites with partner countries beginning in 2026. She also emphasized the creation of a space situational awareness system and its integration into future defense technologies. 

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Chernohorenko highlighted the accelerated militarization of space, noting the establishment of space forces by countries such as Russia, China, the United States, and France. She stressed that Ukraine must not lag in this domain, advocating for the development of its own military space capabilities to ensure national security and technological parity. The post Japan’s iQPS to provide Ukraine with satellite intel amid US support uncertainty appeared first on AeroTime.

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