On June 12, Planet Labs PBC announced it was selected for a new seven-figure contract with NATO to deliver advanced daily monitoring and intelligence capabilities across the Alliance’s strategic areas of interest. This landmark partnership comes at a time of significant global change, where nations, particularly in Europe, are rapidly enhancing their defense capabilities to address evolving geopolitical dynamics.
In this collaboration, Planet will provide NATO with a specialized platform solution that leverages its PlanetScope Broad Area Monitoring technology combined with advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) analytics to deliver NATO a unique solution for persistent space-based surveillance, enhanced early indicators and warnings, and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) functions.
“The current geopolitical landscape underscores the critical need for rapid, comprehensive, and broad area intelligence expertise. As European nations enhance their defense capabilities, they’re seeking reliable, trusted partners who can deliver these specialties quickly and consistently – and Planet is uniquely equipped to meet this rapidly growing, global market demand,” said Will Marshall, co-founder and CEO of Planet. “Our growth with NATO showcases Planet’s unparalleled ability to provide the necessary scale and frequency of data collection that’s critical for daily, global intelligence. For over a decade Planet has centered global daily monitoring as our flagship product, and we now have the opportunity to solidify our market-leading role in empowering the Alliance to have the comprehensive situational awareness in its region that is critical during these pivotal times.”
This new AI-powered offering, combining Planet’s technology with partner capabilities, is a transformative leap in information-gathering – moving from reactive, target-centric surveillance to proactive, broad-area anomaly detection. This shift augments NATO’s Indications & Warning (I&W) capabilities, increases efficiency, and empowers strategic foresight across NATO’s areas of interest.
“Our partnership with Planet, harnessing their Broad Area Monitoring technology combined with AI and ML analytics, is a significant stride for NATO,” said Admiral Pierre Vandier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. “It grants us persistent space-based surveillance, bolstering our enhanced early Indicators and Warnings and strengthening our Maritime Domain Awareness. This swift integration of Planet’s satellite data and insights, especially through the Smart Indications and Warning, Broad Area Detection (SINBAD) project, is vital for strengthening our global awareness and rapidly addressing complex security challenges at speed. This initiative reinforces NATO’s commitment to maintaining our technological edge, ensuring strategic advantage and cost-effectiveness, and directly enhancing deterrence, strengthening collective defense, and empowering our warfighters with real-time situational awareness.”
Source: Planet
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By Loren Blinde
June 13, 2025
