The overall objective of the COSMO-SkyMed programme is global Earth observation and the relevant data exploitation for the needs of the military community as well as for the civil (institutional, commercial) community.

Examples of applications for COSMO-SkyMed data include the following fields:

• Defence and security applications: Surveillance, intelligence, mapping, damage assessment, vulnerability assessment, target detection/localisation
• Risk management applications: Floods, droughts, landslides, volcanic/seismic, forest fire, industrial hazards, water pollution
• Other applications: Marine and coastal environments, agriculture, forestry, cartography, environment, geology and exploration, telecommunication, utilities and planning
• Provision of commercial imaging services