Japan's IHI Corp. will collaborate with Finnish space developer Iceye on the launch of observation satellites, Nikkei reported.

IHI is expected to deploy 24 small radar satellites through 2027, with the agreement to expand the constellation up to 100 units with both optical and radio satellites. The spacecraft, made by one of the companies, will be launched into low-orbit of 500 killometers, going above Japan, United Kingdom and Australia.

Additionally, IHI will be able to connect several units in order to obtain information practically in real time. Data will supposedly be sold to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, which already manages a number of info-gathering units and sporadically uses IHI's satellites. According to Nikkei, the Japanese company is considering the possibility of selling information to other countries to add to multilateral security cooperation.