Pentagon spars with SpaceX over Starlink price hike during Iran war
The Pentagon is in a dispute with SpaceX regarding the pricing of Starlink services used in military operations against Iran. SpaceX has argued for a price increase, claiming that the military is using a higher tier of service than previously paid for. This disagreement highlights the growing reliance of the Pentagon on SpaceX for critical satellite communications in modern warfare.
- ▪SpaceX has proposed a price increase for Starlink services used by the Pentagon during operations against Iran.
- ▪The Pentagon initially paid about $5,000 per terminal but is now facing costs closer to $25,000.
- ▪The ongoing disputes reflect the increasing leverage SpaceX has over the Pentagon as it prepares for a significant IPO.
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Pentagon spars with SpaceX over Starlink price hike during Iran warSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxFILE PHOTO: A person takes photos of a trail as the Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites streaks across the sky in the latest SpaceX launch as viewed from Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California, U.S., April 6, 2026. REUTERS/Daina Beth Solomon/File PhotoPublished May 26, 2026, 07:14 PMUpdated May 26, 2026, 07:14 PMNEW YORK, May 26 - As U.S. kamikaze drones guided by Elon Musk’s Starlink network began to make visible gains in the war against Iran, senior SpaceX officials reached a conclusion: The Pentagon should be paying more for access to their satellite Wi-Fi network.Within weeks of the United States launching its bombing campaign, SpaceX executives met Pentagon…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Straits Times — World.