After inquiry: German government partially discloses Starlink use
An answer to a parliamentary question reveals that the Federal Police and the BKA, among others, work with SpaceX's Starlink system.
(Image: CG Alex/Shutterstock.com)
Following a parliamentary inquiry, the German government has disclosed the extent to which it uses SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet system. However, the request from CDU MP Matthias Hauer could only be answered in part; according to the response, certain information must remain under lock and key. This includes the expenditure and intended use by the Federal Police, the Central Office for Information Technology in the Security Sector and the Federal Criminal Police Office.
It states: "Information about the use of 'Starlink' could allow conclusions to be drawn about the technical workings and functioning of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and its protective measures against acts of sabotage and espionage."
Furthermore, all expenses of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs in connection with Starlink are also noted as "unknown" due to the processing deadline for the information. This is one week for this type of request and was therefore noted in the minutes as being too short to be able to collect this data.
Videos by heise
Starlink expenditure per year
However, it can be seen that the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection has budgeted 51,000 euros for Starlink in 2025 across various authorities. The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), on the other hand, is only planning to spend 99 euros a month on running costs, while the Federal Foreign Office is planning to spend between 9,000 and 16,000 euros for the whole year.
The systems are used for lock control, transmission of measurement data in poorly connected regions and the Mobile Incident Response Team (MIRT), among other things. When using it for the MIRT, the government cites the fact that Starlink is the only system without data volume limits and offers the "fastest possible" satellite connection, which would be slower with other providers in most regions.
(tlz)
