Germany Planning Secret Satellite Recon? -- Foreign PolicyThe Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten, which announced late last month that it had obtained full access to the WikiLeaks CableGate archive, has already caused a stir with this cable from Feb. 15, 2009, which discusses a planned German satellite reconnaissance system (my emphasis):
Germany is taking concrete steps to achieve a full-spectrum, overhead reconnaissance capability by adding a space-based HIgh Resolution Optical System (HiROS) to their already impressive suite of space-based radar and multi-spectral systems. The German Government believes that full spectrum overhead reconnaissance is an effective force multiplier, provides an instrument of national power, and politically frees Germany from dependence on foreign sources of imagery. Germany anticipates that their emergence as a world leader in overhead reconnaissance will generate interest from the USG and envisions an expansion of the intelligence relationship.
Read more ....
More News On This Joint U.S. - German Spy Satellite Recon Program
Aftenposten: Germany, US plan secret spy project -- Forbes/AP
US and Germany in joint spy satellite project: cable -- Breitbart/AFP
US, Germany developing secret spy satellites: cables -- AFP
Leaked Cables Show US-German Spy Satellite Program -- Voice of America
Cables point to German-French battle over satellite technology -- CNN
Germany denies it plans secret spy project with US -- AP
Reports of spy satellite project inaccurate, says Germany -- M&C