Rohde & Schwarz Acquires NEOSAT And PHYTRONIC

Rohde & Schwarz has bought Dresden-based deep‑tech companies NEOSAT and PHYTRONIC, advancing its strategy in the fast‑growing space sector and reinforcing Europe’s sovereign satellite communications capabilities.

The deal reflects a model that blends specialised deep‑tech know‑how with industrial development, production and scalability to build robust European value chains.

NEOSAT GmbH and PHYTRONIC GmbH provide highly specialised, complementary technologies for the next generation of secure aerospace communications. NEOSAT, founded at the Bundeswehr University Munich in 2018, develops innovative concepts for multi‑antenna satellite systems, satellite‑based IoT connectivity and communications payloads. PHYTRONIC, launched in 2023, augments this with cutting‑edge waveform design for space and avionics communications systems and delivers tailored solutions for secure communications in aerospace, space and terrestrial sensing.

By integrating the two Dresden firms, Rohde & Schwarz will unite two critical components of communications technology: hardware design for satellite payloads and ground infrastructure, and waveform development for aerospace systems. Together, these competencies underpin sovereign communications in space, strengthening the company’s vertical integration as well as its competitiveness and growth prospects in the SATCOM market.

"Secure satellite communications are a critical capability for the German armed forces, civil security authorities and operators of critical infrastructure as well as being a key component of technological sovereignty. With NEOSAT and PHYTRONIC, we are strengthening Dresden as a place for innovation while continuing to expand our collaboration with highly innovative deep-tech companies," said Thomas Bohne, Vice President Space at Rohde & Schwarz.

"I am very pleased to announce this milestone today. In Rohde & Schwarz, we will have a strong partner at our side moving forward. Decades of engineering expertise, a wide technology portfolio and excellent production capabilities are exactly the conditions we need to advance our solutions for resilient satellite communications. Together, we are strengthening Germany's sovereignty in space," said Kai-Uwe Storek, Managing Director of NEOSAT GmbH.

Dr. Robert Wünsche, CEO of PHYTRONIC GmbH, added: "For PHYTRONIC, joining the Rohde & Schwarz group is the most important step in our still young corporate history, as well as an natural one. In Rohde & Schwarz, we are gaining longstanding system expertise, experience and market knowledge that significantly complement our prowess in the field of resilient waveforms and antenna algorithms. Together, we can now integrate our technologies more quickly into powerful overall system solutions for the SATCOM market. We look forward to the challenges ahead as we jointly shape secure communications and Germany’s technological sovereignty."

rohde-schwarz.com