Europe’s Plan to Detect Hypersonic Missiles from Space
Building a Sovereign Space-Based Infrared Layer for Hypersonic Detection and NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence
9 pages · PDF · 19 February 2026 · Licensed single-user copy, watermarked to the buyer
Strategic Autonomous Systems, Robotics & Swarms Space, Satellites, Launchers & PNT Advanced Sensors, Radar, Lidar & Optronics Hypersonics & Advanced Missile Systems
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What this report covers
Technologies: Autonomous Systems, Robotics & Swarms, Space, Satellites, Launchers & PNT, Advanced Sensors, Radar, Lidar & Optronics, Hypersonics & Advanced Missile Systems. A sourced, structured 9-page analysis for European defence and dual-use decision-makers, from the DFM research desk and built on official and primary sources.
About this report
Hypersonic glide vehicles and hypersonic cruise missiles compress warning timelines and undermine traditional radar-based air and missile defence architectures by flying low, manoeuvring unpredictably, and exploiting line-of-sight constraints.
For European planners, the problem is no longer theoretical: without persistent space-based infrared sensing capable of detecting launches and tracking high-speed glide trajectories in near real time, layered defence concepts risk entering the engagement cycle too late.
Key questions this report answers
- Why do hypersonic glide vehicles and cruise missiles, flying low and manoeuvring unpredictably, defeat traditional radar-based air and missile defence architectures?
- What space-based infrared sensing capabilities does Europe need to detect launches and track high-speed glide trajectories in near real time?
- How would persistent space-based IR sensing change when European layered defence enters the engagement cycle?
- What are the programme, industrial and investment implications of building a European hypersonic-detection constellation?
Who it's for
Strategy, corporate-development and investment teams that need an ecosystem-level view — budgets, industrial capacity and technology landscapes — before committing capital or capacity.
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DFM reports are built from primary and official sources — TED procurement notices, CORDIS and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, EIB operations, the NATO Innovation Fund portfolio, SIPRI data, official budget documents and company disclosures — read together with the underlying legal texts. Sources are cited in the document; it reflects them as of its publication date (19 February 2026). You receive a 9-page PDF, watermarked to you on every page, delivered on the confirmation page and by e-mail immediately after checkout (personal link valid 72 hours, up to 5 downloads). Guest checkout, single-user licence — Terms of Sale.
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More Strategic reports · Autonomous Systems, Robotics & Swarms · Space, Satellites, Launchers & PNT · Advanced Sensors, Radar, Lidar & Optronics · Hypersonics & Advanced Missile Systems · Free summary of this report · All reports
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