Kongsberg will add three satellites to its N3X maritime surveillance constellation in early 2027, doubling the number of satellites to six to improve coverage and revisit rates.
The constellation’s first three satellites were launched in 2025 and are providing maritime surveillance data to government agencies including the Norwegian Coastal Administration, the Directorate of Fisheries and Norwegian Customs, as well as the Norwegian Armed Forces.
The satellites are equipped with AIS receivers and passive RF sensors to detect and track ‘dark vessels’, identify AIS spoofing attempts and monitor other anomalous maritime activity.
“The operational results achieved with the first three satellites have confirmed the value of space-based maritime surveillance as an important component of our situational awareness capabilities,” said Colonel John-Arild Bodding, Commander of Norwegian Armed Forces Space Operations Center.
“Expanding the constellation will further improve coverage, responsiveness, and our ability to monitor activities of interest in maritime areas.”
The N3X constellation is intended to support both security and civil applications, with surplus data capacity available to commercial customers, allied nations and partner countries.
