Space now a war-fighting domain, SES CEO says
Space has become a full-fledged war-fighting domain as global militaries race to secure dominance in orbit, the chief executive of SES said Monday, highlighting growing defence demand for satellite networks and missile defence systems.
CEO Adel Al-Saleh told investors that military planners now rank space capabilities alongside air superiority, naval power and cybersecurity, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
“Space is now a war-fighting domain,” Al-Saleh said during a post-earnings call, pointing to rising geopolitical tensions and accelerating defence investments.
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Analysts say investor focus is increasingly turning to space-based missile defence systems, including initiatives such as the proposed Golden Dome in the United States.
According to Al-Saleh, modern military systems depend on real-time intelligence sharing across units — something satellite operators like SES provide through secure communications networks.
He cited France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which relied on SES satellite networks during a Pacific Ocean mission last year, as an example of space-enabled military coordination.
SES has been promoting “sovereign network slices,” allowing governments to maintain full operational control over dedicated satellite capacity — a feature that aligns with Europe’s push for strategic autonomy.
Al-Saleh said there is accelerating momentum in both the United States and the European Union to scale up independent space and defence capabilities. Europe increasingly treats space infrastructure as part of meeting NATO spending targets, he added.
The company is also pursuing vertical integration to secure critical supply chains and expand “dual-use” satellites that combine military and commercial applications.
SES shares rose about 4% after annual results, reflecting broader investor interest in European defence-linked stocks as geopolitical tensions escalate.a
By Aysel Mammadzada
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