Japan’s Secret Satellite Weapon Reaches Ukraine

A small Japanese satellite floats silently through space, its 3.6-metre antenna spread out like a flower made of metal. Unlike most imaging satellites, which use visible light, this one uses microwave signals to see through clouds, fog, and darkness, getting obvious radar pictures of the ground below.

Japan said on April 21, 2025, that it would share these pictures with Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites operated by the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS) captured the pictures.

Japan has never shared this kind of geospatial information with another country before. The discovery could potentially alter Ukraine’s monitoring of the ongoing conflict in that region.

Intelligence Online reported on the agreement. It shows a big step forward in satellite imagery technology and Japan’s growing but cautious role in working together on global security. Because SAR technology can do so many different things, this new development is crucial.

Optical Satellites

SAR satellites send out microwave pulses that bounce off the Earth’s surface and return to the satellite, making detailed two- or three-dimensional maps. Optical satellites, on the other hand, need clear skies and daylight to take useful pictures.

Their technology lets them “see” through bad weather at any time of the day or night. The ability makes them very useful in the military, where timing and conditions are difficult to predict. Ukraine has been in a terrible war since Russia invaded in 2022.

Access to this type of data could assist the country in monitoring troop movements, monitoring supply lines, and assessing the extent of damage to critical infrastructure, even during harsh winter conditions or cloud cover.

The iQPS satellites, at the core of this agreement, represent a significant advancement in the field of aerospace engineering. When it was started in 2005 as a branch of Kyushu University, iQPS’s goal was to build a space industry in the southwestern Kyushu region of Japan.

The QPS-SAR satellites that the company is most proud of weigh only 100 kilograms, a tiny fraction of the several-tonne monsters that are usually used for SAR imaging. Even though they are small, these satellites have a resolution of 46 centimetres, which means they can tell the difference between things smaller than cars.

iQPS

Such accuracy is possible with a parabolic antenna that is light and can be deployed. It folds up to only 80 centimetres for launch and opens up to 3.6 metres in orbit.

The metallic mesh design of the antenna and advanced radar systems lets iQPS take high-quality pictures for a lot less money than regular SAR satellites, which can cost tens of billions of yen.

iQPS says that their satellites are one-hundredth the price of traditional models. This is a big step forward that has caught the attention of both the military and the civilian world.

It is important to closely examine the technical specifications of the QPS-SAR satellites, as they play a crucial role in Japan’s assistance to Ukraine. Each satellite is in a low-earth orbit, which is about 600 kilometres above the Earth’s surface. To send and receive microwave signals, each satellite uses an X-band radar system.

There are two observation modes on the satellites: Stripmap Mode covers a large area, and Spotlight Mode takes high-resolution pictures of specific targets.

SAR Imagery

The patented deployable antenna has a spring-loaded mechanism that keeps the surface smooth and bowl-shaped while it’s in orbit, which reduces signal distortion.

Since launching their first satellite, Izanagi, in December 2019, iQPS has enhanced their technology. For instance, they added ribs to the antenna to improve surface accuracy and radar performance.

By April 2025, iQPS will have five satellites in orbit, with plans to launch a seventh by late 2026. By 2027, the company hopes to have a full constellation of 24 satellites, which will be able to take pictures of any place on Earth every 10 minutes in almost real time.

The GUR of Ukraine gets many operational benefits from SAR imagery. In eastern Ukraine, where winter campaigns frequently occur in challenging conditions, the ability to monitor targets at night or through heavy snow is particularly crucial.

SAR data can show the heat signatures of engines that are running, find vehicles that have been hidden, or make maps of how the terrain has changed after an artillery attack. I

In a 2024 Newsweek article, Ukraine’s GUR stated that they were using SAR satellites to “directly prepare strikes on the enemy.” They also stated that attacks causing billions of dollars in damage had used images from Finland’s ICEYE satellites.

Ukrainian Intelligence

Adding iQPS data could make these abilities even stronger, letting GUR more accurately follow Russian supply routes, find fortified positions, or check on high-value targets.

As part of the deal with Japan, iQPS systems will be added to Ukrainian intelligence platforms within two to three months. These systems will ensure that GUR can properly process and analyse incoming data.

Japan is becoming less cautious about sharing intelligence, which is why it has decided to give this technology to Ukraine. Tokyo has maintained a robust space program for a considerable period, concentrating primarily on domestic matters, such as monitoring disasters in a nation vulnerable to earthquakes, typhoons, and volcanic eruptions.

For example, during the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, iQPS satellites sent high-resolution pictures to help the government and media with their investigations.

This showed how useful they are in emergency situations. In contrast, sharing SAR data with a foreign military indicates a significant shift in Japan’s space objectives.

COSMO-SkyMed

Intelligence Online reported the start of talks between Japanese and Ukrainian officials in late February 2025. This was because the United States temporarily stopped sharing intelligence with Kyiv earlier that year.

Even though the U.S. started helping again in the middle of March, the incident showed how important it is for Ukraine to have more than one source of intelligence, which is why Japan stepped in.

To understand what this agreement means, it’s advantageous to look at what other SAR providers helping Ukraine can do and compare it to iQPS’s. Kyiv has been receiving radar images from Finland’s ICEYE, Germany’s SAR-Lupe and SARah, and Italy’s COSMO-SkyMed since at least 2022.

A Finnish company called ICEYE runs the biggest SAR constellation in the world, with satellites that can see it as clearly as iQPS does at 46 centimetres away. Germany designed the SAR-Lupe system for military reconnaissance.

Although it can capture high-resolution images, the size of its constellation remains limited. Italy’s COSMO-SkyMed system can be used for both military and civilian purposes, with a focus on quick revisit times.

Maxar and BlackSky

These systems have improved Ukraine’s intelligence, but iQPS’s contribution stands out because of how small and cheap its satellites are. This could set a new standard for small-scale SAR operators.

Unlike optical systems like France’s Pléiades Neo or commercial U.S. providers Maxar and BlackSky, which have trouble seeing through clouds and at night, SAR systems can keep watching, which makes them very useful in modern warfare.

We can better understand Japan’s role by examining the evolution of SAR technology over time. SAR was created in the 1950s for military reconnaissance. At first, it was only used by superpowers like the US and the USSR, whose big, expensive satellites ruled the field.

For instance, the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office has long utilised SAR to monitor the entire globe. Systems like the Lacrosse satellites provide sub-metre resolution.

In the last few decades, however, improvements in antenna design and miniaturisation have made SAR more accessible to smaller countries and private businesses.

Canada’s RADARSAT

Japan’s iQPS is a wonderful example. Kyushu University spent decades developing affordable satellites with capabilities similar to larger, costlier systems. Canada’s RADARSAT has offered civilian SAR imagery since the 1990s.

Meanwhile, China is building a military SAR satellite network, creating competition in the Indo-Pacific. This global trend reflects a growing interest in advanced, space-based surveillance.

Japan has long been cautious about sharing intelligence due to legal and cultural reasons. Its post-WWII constitution promotes pacifism, and its space policy has prioritised civilian uses over military ones.

Sharing SAR data with Ukraine isn’t direct military aid, but it’s still a major policy shift. This step supports Japan’s larger effort to enhance geospatial intelligence.

That effort originally focused on monitoring threats for the Quad alliance—Japan, the U.S., India, and Australia. But the Ukraine deal shows Tokyo wants a bigger international role, not just that of a supportive ally.

This move may encourage broader cooperation with more countries in the future. The iQPS-Ukraine partnership could disrupt the global satellite industry.

Affordable Surveillance

The low-cost, high-quality SAR satellites developed by iQPS challenge the dominance of large aerospace firms. Small companies now offer big solutions that were once only possible through state-backed programmes.

iQPS plans to grow its satellite network for near-constant Earth monitoring. Affordable surveillance options like this could appeal to nations facing conflict or disaster risks.

Japanese SAR data also reduces Ukraine’s dependence on U.S. and European support. This adds resilience in case future Western aid is delayed or withdrawn.

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, GUR, will need two to three months to adapt its systems. That integration could stretch its tech resources, but it will boost operational flexibility long-term.

Conclusion

The growth of private SAR companies like iQPS makes people wonder about the future of military intelligence as well. Private companies now offer near real-time imagery, making them attractive alternatives to expensive national satellite programmes.

This shift could widen access to intelligence, but it also raises concerns about handling sensitive data. Japan’s decision to share SAR images with Ukraine is both a technological and strategic milestone.

It merges cutting-edge innovation with urgent battlefield needs. This move marks a subtle but significant shift in global intelligence cooperation.

A small Japanese company now delivers SAR imagery on par with major players, proving innovation can beat scale. Ukraine gains a tactical edge by using this data for more accurate battlefield planning.

In today’s war, effective intelligence is just as vital as advanced weapons. Japan’s growing role and private sector involvement show this deal matters far beyond Ukraine’s battlefield.

It signals a changing world where small firms and new alliances redefine how military intelligence is gathered and used. It depicts a future where the boundaries between technology, safety, and collaboration are becoming increasingly indistinct.

The satellites of iQPS continue to scan the Earth, prompting the question: who else could benefit from their unwavering gaze? And how will this new era of easy access to intelligence change the conflicts of the future?

References

• iQPS Official Website – QPS-SAR Satellite Details
• Intelligence Online Report on Japan-Ukraine SAR Deal
• Newsweek: Ukraine Uses SAR Data for Precision Strikes
• ICEYE—Finnish SAR Satellite Technology
• Kyushu University Space Development Research
• Japan Times – iQPS and Earthquake Imaging
• European Space Agency – Synthetic Aperture Radar
• COSMO-SkyMed Satellite System – Italian Space Agency
• German Aerospace Center – SAR-Lupe
• Canadian RADARSAT Program Overview