Stockholm poised to become leading European geospatial intel player

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geospatial-intelligence satellites sweden europe planet-labs

Summary

Stockholm's acquisition of five Pelican satellites from US firm Planet Labs positions Sweden to become a leading European geospatial intelligence player, potentially surpassing France, though with increased reliance on US technology.

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Cached at: 05/26/26, 03:55 PM

# Sweden • Stockholm poised to become leading European geospatial intel player Source: [https://www.intelligenceonline.com/europe-russia/2026/05/26/stockholm-poised-to-become-leading-european-geospatial-intel-player,110772386-eve](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/europe-russia/2026/05/26/stockholm-poised-to-become-leading-european-geospatial-intel-player,110772386-eve) Published on 26\.05\.2026 at 04:00 GMTReading time 3 minutes ![Stockholm has acquired five Pelican satellites from US firm Planet Labs.](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/utils/imageresize?x=1400&web=1&file64=SU9cQXJ0aWNsZXNcUGVsaWNhbl9QbGFuZXQgTGFic18xXy5qcGc=) Stockholm has acquired five Pelican satellites from US firm Planet Labs\.© Handout/Planet Labs Inc\./AFP ![Stockholm has acquired five Pelican satellites from US firm Planet Labs.](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/utils/imageresize?x=1400&web=1&file64=SU9cQXJ0aWNsZXNcUGVsaWNhbl9QbGFuZXQgTGFic18uanBn) Stockholm has acquired five Pelican satellites from US firm Planet Labs\.© Handout/Planet Labs Inc\./AFP ## Europe's balance of GEOINT power is shifting at an unprecedented pace and cost\. Within a year, Sweden will have more spy satellites than many other European countries, including France, a leader in the field\. Stockholm does however run the risk of becoming dependent on US tech\. #### Related topics to this article #### Read also [https://www.intelligenceonline.com/asia-pacific/2026/04/07/french-geoint-players-see-mitigated-success-in-seoul-and-tokyo,110698800-art](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/asia-pacific/2026/04/07/french-geoint-players-see-mitigated-success-in-seoul-and-tokyo,110698800-art) [https://www.intelligenceonline.com/asia-pacific/2026/02/10/beijing-overtakes-moscow-as-geospatial-intelligence-supplier-to-the-global-south,110624235-art](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/asia-pacific/2026/02/10/beijing-overtakes-moscow-as-geospatial-intelligence-supplier-to-the-global-south,110624235-art)![Logo](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/img/gen/picto-IO.svg)Subscribers only[Space](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/rub/space)10\.02\.2026 [https://www.intelligenceonline.com/asia-pacific/2025/11/13/beijing-loses-four-key-spy-satellites,110559176-art](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/asia-pacific/2025/11/13/beijing-loses-four-key-spy-satellites,110559176-art)![Logo](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/img/gen/picto-IO.svg)Subscribers only[Space](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/rub/space)13\.11\.2025 [![A Chinese rocket carrying two experimental satellites launching at the Jiuquan launch site in China on 9 November 2025.](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/utils/imageresize?x=800&wide=1&web=1&file64=SU9cQXJ0aWNsZXNcQ2hpbmFSb2NrZXQuanBn)](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/asia-pacific/2025/11/13/beijing-loses-four-key-spy-satellites,110559176-art) [https://www.intelligenceonline.com/asia-pacific/2025/10/27/islamabad-breaking-free-from-chinese-spy-satellite-dependence,110539884-eve](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/asia-pacific/2025/10/27/islamabad-breaking-free-from-chinese-spy-satellite-dependence,110539884-eve)![Logo](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/img/gen/picto-IO.svg)Subscribers only[Space](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/rub/space)27\.10\.2025 [![A live broadcast of Pakistan's indigenous Electro-Optical (PRSC-EO1) satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China, shown at Pakistan's SUPARCO complex in Karachi, on 17 January 2025.](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/utils/imageresize?x=800&wide=1&web=1&file64=SU9cQXJ0aWNsZXNcUGFraXN0YW4gQ2hpbmVfUFJTQ19FTzFfLmpwZw==)](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/asia-pacific/2025/10/27/islamabad-breaking-free-from-chinese-spy-satellite-dependence,110539884-eve) [https://www.intelligenceonline.com/](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/)[Europe\-Russia](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/rub/europe-russia)\|Stockholm poised to become leading \(…\) player- Share - [https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intelligenceonline.com%2Feurope-russia%2F2026%2F05%2F26%2Fstockholm-poised-to-become-leading-european-geospatial-intel-player%2C110772386-eve](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intelligenceonline.com%2Feurope-russia%2F2026%2F05%2F26%2Fstockholm-poised-to-become-leading-european-geospatial-intel-player%2C110772386-eve) - [https://wa.me/?text=Stockholm%20poised%20to%20become%20leading%20European%20geospatial%20intel%20player%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intelligenceonline.com%2Feurope-russia%2F2026%2F05%2F26%2Fstockholm-poised-to-become-leading-european-geospatial-intel-player%2C110772386-eve](https://wa.me/?text=Stockholm%20poised%20to%20become%20leading%20European%20geospatial%20intel%20player%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intelligenceonline.com%2Feurope-russia%2F2026%2F05%2F26%2Fstockholm-poised-to-become-leading-european-geospatial-intel-player%2C110772386-eve) - [https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intelligenceonline.com%2Feurope-russia%2F2026%2F05%2F26%2Fstockholm-poised-to-become-leading-european-geospatial-intel-player%2C110772386-eve&text=Stockholm%20poised%20to%20become%20leading%20European%20geospatial%20intel%20player&hashtags=DRM%2CEuropean%20Union%2CIceye](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intelligenceonline.com%2Feurope-russia%2F2026%2F05%2F26%2Fstockholm-poised-to-become-leading-european-geospatial-intel-player%2C110772386-eve&text=Stockholm%20poised%20to%20become%20leading%20European%20geospatial%20intel%20player&hashtags=DRM%2CEuropean%20Union%2CIceye) - [https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intelligenceonline.com%2Feurope-russia%2F2026%2F05%2F26%2Fstockholm-poised-to-become-leading-european-geospatial-intel-player%2C110772386-eve](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intelligenceonline.com%2Feurope-russia%2F2026%2F05%2F26%2Fstockholm-poised-to-become-leading-european-geospatial-intel-player%2C110772386-eve) - Text size

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