- Signaling a strategic evolution in France's space strategy, combining military and civilian resources
- Underscoring the crucial role of low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations in defense applications
- Providing strategic in-space resources in advance of the availability of the IRIS² constellation
Regulatory News:
Eutelsat (ISIN: FR0010221234 Euronext Paris London Stock Exchange: ETL) and France's armed forces ministry (Direction générale de l'armement)have today announced a landmark framework agreement on the occasion of the Paris Airshow.
The agreement is the embodiment of the NEXUS (Neo-Espace pour de multiples Usages Sécurisés) program launched by the French Ministry of Defence, which aims to reinforce the current French military space communications model by combining military and civilian resources.
France reaffirms its commitment to the European IRIS² program, which has been supported from the outset since the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2022. However, the urgency of the international situation means that it cannot wait until then.
As the first concrete step in the NEXUS project, the French defense procurement agency (DGA) has reached a 10-year framework agreement, valued at up to €1 billion in expenditure, with Eutelsat, covering the supply of priority-access space resources (notably capacity on Eutelsat's OneWeb LEO constellation), the hosting of ancillary missions for the French armed forces, and operational and security maintenance. The agreement also covers the upgrading and securing of the constellation for military grade use.
Jean-Francois Fallacher, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat commented "We are honored at the prospect of supporting the French armed forces through this historic agreement, which underscores the crucial role of low earth orbit satellite capacity in responding to the requirements of contemporary operational theaters. Eutelsat today offers the only commercially operated LEO constellation capable of meeting stringent military standards ahead of the deployment of IRIS². It provides global coverage, low latency, rapid deployment, and adaptability to mobile use cases, attributes validated by successful large-scale experiments conducted with the French Armed Forces."
About Eutelsat Group
Eutelsat Group is a global leader in satellite communications, delivering connectivity and broadcast services worldwide. The Group was formed through the combination of the Company and OneWeb in 2023, becoming the first fully integrated GEO-LEO satellite operator with a fleet of 35 Geostationary satellites and a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of more than 600 satellites. The Group addresses the needs of customers in four key verticals of Video, where it distributes more than 6,500 television channels, and the high-growth connectivity markets of Mobile Connectivity, Fixed Connectivity, and Government Services. Eutelsat Group's unique suite of in-orbit assets enables it to deliver integrated solutions to meet the needs of global customers. The Company is headquartered in Paris and the Eutelsat Group employs more than 1,500 people across more than 50 countries. The Group is committed to delivering safe, resilient, and environmentally sustainable connectivity to help bridge the digital divide. The Company is listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL) and the London Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL).
DISCLAIMER
The forward-looking statements included herein are for illustrative purposes only and are based on management's views and assumptions as of the date of this document. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks. For illustrative purposes only, such risks include but are not limited to: risks related to the health crisis; operational risks related to satellite failures or impaired satellite performance, or failure to roll out the deployment plan as planned and within the expected timeframe; risks related to the trend in the satellite telecommunications market resulting from increased competition or technological changes affecting the market; risks related to the international dimension of the Group's customers and activities; risks related to the adoption of international rules on frequency coordination and financial risks related, inter alia, to the financial guarantee granted to the Intergovernmental Organization's closed pension fund, and foreign exchange risk. Eutelsat Communications expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any projections, forecasts or estimates contained in this document to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. The information contained in this document is not based on historical fact and should not be construed as a guarantee that the facts or data mentioned will occur. This information is based on data, assumptions and estimates that the Group considers as reasonable.
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Contacts:
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