Airbus, TAS Get $1.7 Billion Satellite Contract From French Armed Forces
By Joshua Kirby
Airbus said its consortium was awarded a contract valued at more than $1.67 billion to build two observation satellites for the French military.
The European aerospace-and-aviation group said it was awarded the contract for the French armed forces' IRIS satellite project alongside co-contractor Thales Alenia Space, an aerospace joint venture between France's Thales and Italy's Leonardo.
The contract covers the conception, manufacture and testing for two satellites, as well as the control and user ground segments, plus in-orbit operations and maintenance, Airbus said Monday. The group will provide both satellite platforms and a significant share of the first satellite's payload, and will be responsible for the ground segment. TAS meanwhile will develop the payload for the second satellite and contribute to the first payload and the ground segment.
The contract represents more than 1.5 billion euros ($1.67 billion) for the consortium and runs to the end of next decade, Airbus said.
"With this contract, Airbus Defence and Space is contributing to France's sovereignty and strategic autonomy," said Alain Faure, head of space systems at Airbus Defence and Space.
Write to Joshua Kirby at joshua.kirby@wsj.com; @joshualeokirby
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 09, 2026 12:05 ET (17:05 GMT)
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