Kleos Space, a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance data provider, has announced that it has reached an agreement to cooperate and collaborate with a sea bound nation state to enhance their maritime geospatial intelligence/analytics capability with data from the Kleos Scouting Mission.
The collaboration activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Investigation of opportunities to collaborate and develop a value-added proposition for current and future state and regional maritime opportunities;
- Jointly develop a future commercial relationship including government procurement strategies;
- Develop and implement scenario modelling and demonstration pilots to validate technical usability and application of Kleos data;
- Proposed fusing of data and a subsequent mutual commercial strategy for allied states.
Kleos Space CEO Andy Bowyer said, “Kleos has secured a relationship with an exceptionally well resourced and intelligent nation state end-user facing continued challenges in policing its coast. Kleos will benefit greatly from the synergies this relationship offers.
“This development brings an enormous strategic benefit to Kleos, bringing an entry for Kleos directly into government opportunities. It offers the opportunity to test and validate Kleos data in a challenging end- user environment.
“The lessons we learn will position Kleos well as we engage further directly with governments.”
Kleos data assists in identifying potentially unlawful maritime activity such as smuggling and illegal fishing by geolocating radio transmissions. If unlawful actors in the territorial waters of the nation state, were to become aware of the usage of Kleos capability and the possible detection of their illegal activity, they could potentially circumvent detection and endanger national security efforts of the nation state. For this reason, the disclosure of the end-user is not possible.
Kleos currently views this relationship with the nation state as not material as revenue that may be generated by the relationship cannot be quantified at this time.
The Kleos Scouting Mission satellites will launch into a 37-degree inclination delivering data collected over key regions of maritime interest for defence and security customers, including the Strait of Hormuz, South China Sea, Australian coast, Southern U.S. coast as well as the East and Western African coast.