"Game-changing" space satellites to be built for military at Airbus Portsmouth site in wake of job cuts

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has secured a £127m deal with Airbus, which is expected to support 200 jobs in the city and Stevenage. This comes after an announcement of more than 150 jobs being cut from the space base in Anchorage Park after a Europe-wide restructure.

The new technology, named Oberon, will be used by the military to gather reconnaissance and provide space-based imagery for military operations. Paul Russell, space team leader at the Defence, Equipment and Support arm of the MoD, said it was a “superb team effort” to get the agreement over the line.

He said: “With the award of the Oberon contract, we will deliver the next in a series game changing capabilities to UK Space Command providing the UK military with leading Space Based Synthetic Aperture Radar whilst helping to keep our nation safe and prosperous. We are looking forwards to working with Airbus as our Mission Partner to deliver this important capability together.”

The Oberon satellite system, made up of two Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, will be able to capture day and night-time images of the Earth’s surface. It’s expected to be launched in 2027 and have advanced imagery sensors. Oberon is aiming to expand on the previous system Tyche, which was UK Space Command’s first satellite which successfully launched in August 2024.

More than half of the 2,043 total job redundancies announced by Airbus was in the company’s Space Systems business. A total of 477 posts are set to be lost in Britain, including 154 in Portsmouth. The company’s Hilsea base employs just under 1,000 workers. Airbus is the second largest private sector employer in the city, pumping £400m into the local economy each year and supporting 4,000 jobs across Hampshire.

As previously reported in The News, Airbus confirmed none of the redundancies will be compulsory. Around 30 per cent of the losses will be made in 2025 and 70 per cent in 2026. Speaking about the Oberon contract, Airbus Defence and Space UK Chairman Ben Bridge said: “Oberon’s satellites will give the UK a much-needed sovereign capability and greatly enhance its space surveillance autonomy.

“Airbus in the UK has more than 45 years’ experience in the design and build of high-resolution radar satellites and, once in orbit, these spacecraft will play a vital role in keeping our Armed Forces safe around the world.”

Both Tyche and Oberon will be part of the MoD’s space-based Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance programme (ISTARI). The satellites will help armed forces personnel and government officials monitor the activities of adversaries, keep track of natural disasters, develop map information and track the worldwide impact of climate change.

UK Space Commander, Major General Paul Tedman said:  “Through UK Space Command, defence is partnering with industry and continuing to invest in advanced and innovative space technologies. Oberon, alongside Tyche and other satellites in our ISTARI constellation, will allow us to observe what’s happening on Earth from space at any time and through any weather. This will enable and enhance UK and allied military operations around the world.”