Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - A shocking investigation by Newsweek has\nrevealed that Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), a major European\nsatellite services company owned by a NATO defence contractor, has\nobtained permission to service dozens of satellites belonging to a\nChinese company closely tied to Beijing\u2019s military.<\/p>\n
This fact has triggered significant concerns amid the intensifying\nglobal confrontations involving the United States, Iran, and Russia.<\/p>\n
Based on documents obtained from the Norwegian Communications\nAuthority (NKOM), KSAT is authorised to communicate with 42 satellites\nowned by Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co.\u00a0Ltd.\u00a0(CGSTL). The Chinese\ncompany is the largest provider of commercial satellite imagery in the\nBamboo Curtain nation, established jointly by the Jilin provincial\ngovernment and a state research institution that serves China\u2019s national\ndefence.<\/p>\n
The involvement of commercial satellite companies in armed conflicts\nis currently under global scrutiny, from the Iran war triggered by the\nUS and Israel in February, Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea, to\nRussia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine. The role of commercial satellites is\nconsidered crucial in helping conflicting parties monitor enemy\nmovements.<\/p>\n
The US State Department has issued a stern warning regarding the\nprofile of the Chinese company, deeming it a threat to Washington\u2019s\ninterests.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that the Chinese technology company Chang Guang Satellite\nTechnology Co., Ltd.\u00a0(CGSTL) has provided direct support to the\nIran-backed Houthi terrorists who have attacked US interests. CGSTL\nmaintains close ties with the Chinese government and military,\u201d stated a\nUS State Department spokesperson, quoted on Monday (20\/4\/2026).<\/p>\n
These suspicions have grown stronger after a US congressional\ncommittee wrote to the Pentagon stating that Iran likely accessed\ninformation on US forces in the Gulf through Western space companies.\nNevertheless, KSAT has chosen to keep details of its contracts with\nclients under wraps, citing business confidentiality.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur customer contracts include standard confidentiality clauses, and\ntherefore KSAT is not free to comment publicly or provide details on\nindividual customers. This applies to both past and current customers,\u201d\nemphasised a KSAT spokesperson via email.<\/p>\n
Although there is no strong evidence that their SvalSat ground\nstation is currently servicing CGSTL satellites, KSAT has recently been\nthreatened with fines by Norwegian authorities. NKOM has threatened to\nfine KSAT for conducting \u201cillegal communications\u201d with five satellites\nvia SvalSat in the Arctic and TrollSat in Antarctica without proper\nauthorisation.<\/p>\n
NKOM Department Director Espen Slette emphasised that KSAT\u2019s repeated\nviolations are a serious issue for international trust.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is very serious that KSAT has communicated with satellites\nwithout permission on several occasions. Therefore, we are warning of\nhigh violation fees. It is important for those with authorisation to\nconduct satellite activities in Antarctica and Svalbard to do so in\naccordance with regulations to maintain trust between authorities and\nactors, as well as between Norwegian and foreign authorities,\u201d said\nSlette in his press statement.<\/p>\n
Licence application documents show that KSAT has applied for\npermission related to CGSTL at least twice in the past five years, in\n2021 and September 2023, with validity until 2028. However, this step is\ndeemed \u201cabsurd\u201d by industry observers, given that CGSTL has been\nsanctioned by the US, EU, Japan, and Taiwan for supplying Russia\u2019s\nmilitary-industrial base.<\/p>\n
Strand Consult CEO John Strand stated that a defence company\u2019s\nactions in servicing the adversary are utterly illogical in the current\ngeopolitical context.<\/p>\n
\u201cMerely applying to service Chinese satellites is absurd. These\nsatellites are imaging ice and water in the Arctic. They are not\nmonitoring agriculture. Kongsberg, through KSAT, is seeking permission\nto operate Chinese spy satellites. They have been caught red-handed.\nThis is a defence company supplying needs to Europe and America, yet now\nplaying a role in building European defence resilience at a time when we\ndo not want to do too much business with America,\u201d said Strand.<\/p>\n
Similar concerns have hit another aerospace giant, Airbus Space. John\nMoolenaar, chairman of the US House of Representatives select committee\non China, suspects Airbus provided satellite imagery of US military\nassets to a Chinese entity called MizarVision before Iran\u2019s attack on US\nforces in the Gulf began.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe documented facts present a chilling scenario: A Chinese firm\nwith undisclosed satellite sources publishes precise and annotated\nimagery of US military assets at specific bases. The imagery identifies\nthe exact types of aircraft that were later destroyed in Iran\u2019s\nprecision strikes. Technical analysis indicates that Airbus Space\nsatellites are the most plausible source for that imagery,\u201d wrote\nMoolenaar in his letter.<\/p>\n
In response to the allegations, Airbus strongly denied them and\nstated that MizarVision is not their customer.<\/p>\n
\u201cMizarVision has never been an Airbus customer. Furthermore, no\nAirbus imagery in the Middle East has ever been supplied to MizarVision\nor any other Chinese entity. We have no relationship with MizarVision.\nOur operations are conducted in full compliance with all relevant\nsanctions, export control laws, and international regulations,\u201d\nclarified an Airbus spokesperson.<\/p>\n
Joseph Wen, a Taiwan-based open-source intelligence analyst, opined\nthat China\u2019s advancing satellite infrastructure will continue to be a\npowerful geopolitical bargaining tool in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough I do not have direct evidence, I am confident that China\nhas insen\u201d<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/outrage-nato-defence-giant-caught-servicing-chinese-military-satellites-1776700248", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }