Synthetic Aperture Radar Market Report 2026

The synthetic aperture radar market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $5.49 billion in 2025 to $6.22 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growing demand for high-resolution earth observation driving procurement of airborne and spaceborne sar systems, increased government investments in defense surveillance programs leveraging sar capabilities, advancements in microwave signal processing improving imaging accuracy, expansion of commercial remote-sensing operators adopting side-looking radar systems, rising requirement for manufacturer-provided warranty-period maintenance and support services.

The synthetic aperture radar market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $9.96 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing adoption of SAR for climate monitoring and disaster management applications, rising deployment of SAR-equipped small satellites enabling high revisit rates, growing investment in advanced digital SAR architectures for enhanced image resolution, expanding commercial demand for all-weather and day-night imaging capabilities, expected increase in integrated after-sales and lifecycle support services bundled with new sar systems. Major trends in the forecast period include miniaturization of sar systems for small satellite integration, increased adoption of spaceborne sar for earth observation, development of multi-frequency and multi-mode sar systems, integration of sar with unmanned aerial vehicles (uavs), advancements in real-time sar data processing and analytics.

The rising investment in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for surveillance and attack operations is contributing to the growth of the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) market. UAVs are increasingly deployed across military, industrial, and civil applications due to their advanced safety features, remote-control capabilities, and ability to monitor locations, detect potential hazards, and report threats in high-risk areas such as oil and gas refineries, pipelines, and flare stacks. In military contexts, UAVs equipped with SAR are essential for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, deterrence, and strike operations. For instance, in February 2024, the UK Ministry of Defence launched a comprehensive drone strategy, committing at least £4.5 billion ($5.7 billion) to the development and deployment of new unmanned aerial systems over the next decade. Therefore, increased investment in UAVs for surveillance and operational purposes is driving the growth of the synthetic aperture radar market.

Key players in the synthetic aperture radar market are developing advanced solutions, such as drone-based SAR systems, to expand their customer base and enhance revenue streams. Drone-based SAR integrates synthetic aperture radar technology with UAVs to provide high-resolution, all-weather imaging, even under challenging environmental conditions. For instance, in August 2023, GalaxEye Space, an India-based space tech startup, launched a drone-based SAR system capable of delivering detailed imaging through proprietary data fusion technology. This innovation positions GalaxEye as the first private Indian company to achieve such a milestone, enabling compact satellite constellations and aerial drones to capture high-resolution imagery without atmospheric limitations, significantly advancing SAR technology.

In September 2024, Rheinmetall AG, a Germany-based defense and automotive technology company, partnered with ICEYE to secure exclusive distribution rights for SAR satellites in Germany and Hungary. This partnership enables Rheinmetall to integrate ICEYE’s SAR capabilities into next-generation battlefield systems, enhancing military and government applications in these regions. ICEYE Ltd., based in Finland, specializes in microsatellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar technology.

Major companies operating in the synthetic aperture radar market are Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Airbus Defence and Space S.A.S., Lockheed Martin Corporation, German Aerospace Center, Northrop Grumman Corporation, BAE Systems plc, Thales Group, L3Harris Technologies Inc., Leonardo S.p.A., General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., Saab AB, SAR Aero Inc., Cobham plc, Aselsan A.S., OHB SE, MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd., ICEYE Oyj, Intellisense Systems Inc., Capella Space Corporation, IMSAR LLC, SRC Inc., MetaSensing B.V., MetaSensing Group.

North America was the largest region in the synthetic aperture radar market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the synthetic aperture radar market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs have impacted the synthetic aperture radar market by increasing the cost of importing key components such as transmitters, antennas, and signal processors, particularly affecting manufacturers in Asia-Pacific regions like China and Taiwan. The rise in component prices has slowed deployment in airborne and spaceborne platforms, while segments like ground-based SAR systems have been moderately affected. However, tariffs have encouraged local production and innovation in component manufacturing, potentially boosting domestic SAR development in regions such as North America and Europe.

The synthetic aperture radar market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides synthetic aperture radar market statistics, including synthetic aperture radar industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a synthetic aperture radar market share, detailed synthetic aperture radar market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the synthetic aperture radar industry. This synthetic aperture radar market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) acts as an active sensor, emitting microwave signals and capturing backscattered signals from the Earth's surface to generate high-resolution images.

The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) market comprises key components: receiver, transmitter, and antenna. The receiver pertains to the radar system responsible for capturing electrical signals. SAR operates across different platforms including airborne and ground-based systems. Modes for SAR encompass single mode and multimode functionalities. Various frequency bands are employed such as X band, L band, S band, C band, K band, Ku band, Ka band, and UHF/VHF band. These SAR systems find application in military and defense sectors, as well as monitoring and exploration purposes.

The countries covered in the synthetic aperture radar market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The synthetic aperture radar market consists of sales of airborne or spaceborne side looking radar systems. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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