Ukraine has acquired Japan’s covert satellite technology amid the ongoing conflict

Soaring high above the planet, a compact Japanese satellite moves quietly through the emptiness of space, its 3.6-meter antenna extended like a metallic blossom. Unlike conventional imaging satellites that depend on visible light, this satellite utilizes microwave signals to penetrate clouds, fog, and darkness, capturing high-resolution radar images of the terrain below. On April 21, 2025, Japan revealed its intention to share these images—generated by synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites managed by the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS)—with Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the GUR. This represents the first instance of Japan providing such geospatial intelligence to a foreign country, a move that could transform Ukraine’s surveillance strategies amid its ongoing conflict.

The agreement, as reported by Intelligence Online, highlights a significant advancement in satellite imaging technology and emphasizes Japan’s cautious yet expanding involvement in global security collaboration. The importance of this development is rooted in the distinctive features of SAR technology.

Unlike optical satellites that require clear skies and daylight for effective imaging, SAR satellites send out microwave pulses that reflect off the Earth’s surface and return to the satellite, producing intricate two- or three-dimensional maps. This capability enables them to “see” through adverse weather conditions and at any hour, making them essential for military operations where timing and environmental factors are unpredictable.

For Ukraine, which has been engaged in a challenging conflict since Russia’s invasion in 2022, access to such intelligence could significantly improve its capacity to monitor troop movements, oversee supply routes, and evaluate damage to vital infrastructure, even during the harshest winter conditions or under dense cloud cover.

The iQPS satellites central to this agreement exemplify a significant milestone in aerospace technology. Established in 2005 as a spinoff from Kyushu University, iQPS set out to create a space industry in Japan’s southwestern Kyushu region. The company’s leading QPS-SAR satellites weigh only 100 kilograms, a mere fraction of the multi-ton giants typically employed for SAR imaging.

Despite their compact size, these satellites deliver a resolution of 46 centimeters, enabling them to identify objects smaller than a car. This capability is facilitated by a lightweight, deployable parabolic antenna that folds down to a compact 80 centimeters for launch and expands to 3.6 meters once in orbit. The antenna’s metallic mesh design, combined with sophisticated radar systems, empowers iQPS to generate high-quality images at a fraction of the cost of traditional SAR satellites, which can cost tens of billions of yen. iQPS claims their satellites are one-hundredth the price of conventional models, a groundbreaking development that has garnered interest from both commercial and military sectors.

The technical details of the QPS-SAR satellites merit close examination, as they underpin Japan’s support to Ukraine. Each satellite operates in low Earth orbit, roughly 600 kilometers above the Earth, utilizing an X-band radar system to send and receive microwave signals.

The satellites offer two observation modes: Stripmap Mode for extensive area coverage and Spotlight Mode for high-resolution imaging of specific targets. The deployable antenna, a patented innovation, features a spring-loaded mechanism that ensures a smooth, bowl-shaped surface in orbit, reducing signal distortion.

Since the debut of its inaugural satellite, Izanagi, in December 2019, iQPS has enhanced its technology by increasing the antenna’s rib count to boost surface accuracy and improve radar capabilities. By April 2025, iQPS plans to operate five satellites, with intentions to launch a seventh by late 2026 and ultimately establish a full constellation of 24 by 2027, aiming to deliver near-real-time imagery of any location on Earth every 10 minutes.

For Ukraine’s GUR, the operational benefits of SAR imagery are significant. The capacity to observe targets in darkness or through heavy snowfall is especially crucial in eastern Ukraine, where winter operations frequently occur under difficult conditions. SAR data can uncover the heat signatures of active engines, identify camouflaged vehicles, or map terrain alterations caused by artillery fire.

A 2024 report from Newsweek highlighted that Ukraine’s GUR was utilizing SAR satellites to “directly prepare strikes on the enemy,” with nearly 40% of imagery from Finland’s ICEYE satellites contributing to attacks that resulted in billions of dollars in damages. The integration of iQPS data could enhance these capabilities, allowing GUR to monitor Russian supply routes, pinpoint fortified locations, or confirm high-value targets with increased accuracy.

The agreement with Japan outlines a two- to three-month timeframe for incorporating iQPS systems into Ukrainian intelligence frameworks, ensuring that GUR can efficiently process and analyze the incoming data. Japan’s choice to share this technology with Ukraine marks a shift from its historically cautious stance on intelligence sharing.

Although Tokyo has consistently maintained a strong space program, its emphasis has typically been on domestic concerns, such as disaster monitoring in a nation vulnerable to earthquakes, typhoons, and volcanic activity.

The 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake exemplified the effectiveness of iQPS satellites, which provided high-resolution imagery to support government and media response efforts, highlighting their value in crisis scenarios. However, the decision to share SAR data with a foreign military indicates a significant evolution in Japan’s aerospace objectives.

According to Intelligence Online, discussions between Japanese and Ukrainian officials commenced in late February 2025, triggered by a temporary halt in U.S. intelligence sharing with Kyiv earlier that year. Although U.S. assistance resumed by mid-March, this incident highlighted Ukraine’s necessity to broaden its intelligence sources, leading Japan to fill the gap.

To grasp the context of this agreement, it is beneficial to compare iQPS’s capabilities with those of other SAR providers aiding Ukraine. Finland’s ICEYE, Germany’s SAR-Lupe and SARah, and Italy’s COSMO-SkyMed constellations have been delivering radar imagery to Kyiv since at least 2022. ICEYE, a Finnish startup, operates the largest SAR constellation globally, with satellites achieving resolutions comparable to iQPS’s 46 centimeters.

Germany’s SAR-Lupe system, intended for military reconnaissance, provides high-resolution imaging but is constrained by its smaller constellation size. Italy’s COSMO-SkyMed, a dual-use system, offers both civilian and military imagery, emphasizing rapid revisit times.

While these systems have enhanced Ukraine’s intelligence capabilities, iQPS’s contribution is notable for its compact satellite design and cost-effectiveness, potentially establishing a new benchmark for small-scale SAR operators. In contrast to optical systems like France’s Pléiades Neo or commercial U.S. providers Maxar and BlackSky, which face challenges with cloud cover and nighttime limitations, SAR systems deliver continuous surveillance, making them an essential asset in contemporary warfare.

The development of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology offers valuable insights into Japan’s involvement. Originating in the 1950s for military reconnaissance, SAR was initially dominated by superpowers such as the United States and the Soviet Union, which operated large, costly satellites.

The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office has historically utilized SAR for global surveillance, exemplified by the Lacrosse satellites that deliver sub-meter resolution imagery. In recent years, however, innovations in miniaturization and antenna technology have made SAR more accessible, allowing smaller nations and private enterprises to participate in the field.

Japan’s iQPS stands out as a notable example, leveraging decades of research from Kyushu University to develop satellites that match the performance of larger systems at significantly lower costs.

This trend is reflected in other countries as well, such as Canada’s RADARSAT program, which has been providing civilian SAR imagery since the 1990s, and China’s expanding fleet of military SAR satellites, which present a competitive challenge in the Indo-Pacific region.

Japan’s cautious approach to intelligence sharing is also indicative of its cultural and legal limitations. The nation’s post-World War II constitution underscores a commitment to pacifism, and its space policy has traditionally focused on non-military uses.

The choice to share SAR data with Ukraine, while not a direct military action, marks a notable advancement in Japan’s international engagement. This decision aligns with Japan’s broader strategy to enhance its geospatial intelligence capabilities, initially intended to support the Quad alliance [Japan, Australia, India, and the United States] in monitoring regional threats. However, the agreement with Ukraine indicates that Tokyo is prepared to broaden its role beyond established alliances, potentially paving the way for future collaborations.

Looking forward, the collaboration between iQPS and Ukraine may significantly impact the global satellite sector. iQPS’s innovative lightweight and cost-effective SAR satellites challenge the supremacy of established aerospace companies, demonstrating that smaller entities can provide impactful solutions. As iQPS grows its satellite constellation, it seeks to offer near-continuous surveillance, a capability that has typically been exclusive to government-funded initiatives.

This development could pique the interest of other countries in search of economical intelligence options, especially in areas vulnerable to conflict or natural disasters. For Ukraine, incorporating Japanese SAR data lessens its dependence on Western suppliers, serving as a safeguard against potential future interruptions in U.S. or European assistance.

The upcoming two- to three-month integration phase will be crucial, as GUR must modify its systems to accommodate the new data influx, a task that may challenge its technical capabilities but ultimately improve its operational adaptability. The emergence of commercial SAR providers like iQPS also prompts considerations regarding the future of military intelligence.

As private firms acquire the capacity to deliver near-real-time imagery, governments might increasingly rely on commercial sources instead of funding expensive national programs. This transition could democratize intelligence access while complicating oversight, as sensitive information becomes accessible to a broader array of stakeholders.

Currently, Japan’s choice to provide SAR imagery to Ukraine marks a significant technical and strategic achievement, linking advanced technology with practical military requirements.

The collaboration between Japan and Ukraine represents a significant transformation in the realm of global intelligence. A small Japanese startup’s capability to provide top-tier SAR imagery highlights the swift advancements in the space industry, where innovation and flexibility are beginning to surpass mere size.

For Ukraine, the arrival of Japanese data provides a strategic advantage, allowing its military to function with enhanced accuracy in a conflict where information is as vital as weaponry. However, the wider consequences—of a typically reserved nation like Japan engaging on the international front, and of private enterprises redefining military intelligence—indicate that this partnership is more than just a minor detail in an ongoing conflict.

It offers a preview of a future where the intersections of technology, security, and collaboration are being redefined. As iQPS’s satellites persist in monitoring the Earth, one ponders: who else might gain from their constant observation, and how will this new age of accessible intelligence influence future conflicts?