Safran.AI, the research and technology division of the French Aerospace firm Safran, has reportedly signed an agreement to supply Ukraine with a cutting-edge data processing platform for analyzing French satellite images. 

According to France-based Intelligence Online, the platform will be delivered to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. The report revealed that the agreement was finalized in February. 

Safran.AI, formerly known as Preligens, specializes in artificial intelligence solutions for aerospace and defense. After its acquisition by Safran last year, it was rebranded and integrated into the Safran Electronics & Defense division. 

The rapid surge in both the demand for and development of drones, largely fueled by the ongoing war in Ukraine, has ushered in a new era of cyber intelligence gathering, transforming the way nations monitor military activities worldwide.

French company Safran has identified artificial intelligence as a key driver of its future competitiveness, and Safran.AI plays a pivotal role in this strategy. 

Safran.AI develops sophisticated algorithms and software to automatically detect and identify military assets using both commercial and government satellite imagery.

One of Safran.AI’s notable capabilities is its ability to analyze Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite images and electro-optical satellite imagery. 

This expanded capability increases its ability to detect objects of military interest, even in challenging weather conditions or low-visibility environments.

While specific details about its satellite image analysis methods remain undisclosed due to the company’s research-oriented structure, the technology is expected to leverage deep learning to detect and analyze military assets. 

These advanced AI-driven systems can autonomously identify aircraft, runways, buildings, vehicles, and other key infrastructure in satellite images.

In fact, before its acquisition by Safran, Preligens produced intelligence that gained some media attention. The company released its satellite imagery in 2022, revealing extensive military infrastructure development at a Chinese naval base.

Additionally, Preligens’ sophisticated vessel detection technology successfully identified Russian air-cushioned landing craft stationed at the port of Baltiysk, Kaliningrad, in January 2022. This demonstrates its ability to track strategic military assets with precision.

US Scales Back Intelligence Sharing With Ukraine 

The new agreement arrives at a particularly sensitive moment, as the United States contemplates reducing its intelligence-sharing arrangement with Ukraine. 

Throughout the war, American intelligence has been a key source of vital information for Ukraine’s military, offering detailed insights into the movements of Russian forces, both in territories under occupation and within the heartland of Russia itself.

Despite the ongoing flow of some intelligence from Washington, a new CNN report indicates that the information provided is primarily intended to strengthen Ukraine’s defensive posture without facilitating direct offensive operations against Russian troops. 

According to the report, the US is deliberately managing its role to avoid the appearance of directly enabling strikes on Russian targets, while still ensuring that Ukraine retains access to data crucial for enhancing its defense. 

On the other hand, the Starlink satellite network, integral to the Ukrainian military’s communication infrastructure, continues to operate reliably in the country. 

However, while Starlink remains active, US aerospace firm Maxar Technologies has restricted Ukraine’s access to its satellite imagery. 

This limitation, as reported by the Ukrainian media outlet Militarnyi and confirmed by the cyber community group Cyberboroshno on Telegram, suggests that free access to such reconnaissance data has been curtailed, though private companies might still be able to purchase pre-ordered images.

Maxar explained that the US government had suspended Ukrainian accounts in the Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery (GEGD) program, a key US government platform for distributing government-acquired satellite imagery to allies.  

As part of the program, Maxar operates under a contract with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). The NGA confirmed that it had “temporarily suspended” access to the imagery, citing compliance with the Administration’s directive regarding support for Ukraine.

As per reports, this lack of intelligence about Russian troops’ movement played a crucial role in Russia’s latest advances in Kursk oblast.

Furthermore, Washington has also frozen certain military aid packages to Kyiv, a move widely seen as part of a broader diplomatic effort aimed at pressuring President Volodymyr Zelensky to engage in peace negotiations with Russia. 

In response to these challenges, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on March 6 that Kyiv is actively seeking alternative intelligence sources, including the possibility of bolstering cooperation with European partners, to offset the diminishing flow of US-provided intelligence.

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