Pentagon Contracts with Starlink for Ukraine

The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced today, Thursday, that Starlink, a subsidiary of Space-X, which provides satellite communication services, has now secured a contract from the department to purchase its satellite services to assist Ukraine. The statement read, "We continue to work with a large group of global partners to ensure that Ukraine possesses effective capabilities regarding satellites and communications. Satellite communications represent a vital part of the entire Ukrainian communications network, and the administration is contracting with Starlink to provide such services." Ukrainian forces utilize Starlink services in various efforts, including communication on the battlefield. Through private donations and under a separate contract with a U.S. foreign aid agency, Space-X has been supplying Ukraine and its military with Starlink internet service, which features a growing network of more than 4,000 satellites in low Earth orbit since the beginning of the war in 2022. The Pentagon's contract serves as a boon for Space-X, especially after the company's CEO Elon Musk stated in October that the company could not sustain the cost of providing Starlink services to Ukraine indefinitely, adding that the monthly cost is estimated at $20 million. Russia has attempted to cut internet services and jam them in Ukraine, including efforts to ban Starlink services in the region; however, Space-X has managed to counter these attempts by enhancing the software of its services. Bloomberg reported earlier on Thursday that the Pentagon did not disclose the terms of the contract "for operational security reasons and the sensitive nature of these systems."