The European aerospace company Airbus announced recently that it has been awarded a €2.1 billion ($2.2 billion) contract by the German army for the development of the next-generation SatcomBw 3 military communications satellites.
Under this agreement, Airbus will oversee the management of geostationary satellites, ground infrastructure, and launches for the next 15 years.
Geostationary satellites maintain a fixed position relative to the earth by orbiting at the same speed as the earth rotates.
These satellites are scheduled to be launched before the decade concludes.
Michael Schoellhorn, chief executive of Airbus Defence and Space, said on the agreement: “At a time when Western democracies are challenged and where the European institutional space ecosystem is struggling, we are excited and grateful to develop and build this leading-edge system.”
“Long term partnerships are crucial to guaranteeing essential sovereignty and capability, and protecting our armed forces in the increasingly unstable geo-political environment,” he added.
The latest contract further solidifies the longstanding partnership between Airbus and the German army, extending from a previous satellite contract initiated in 2009.
Airbus's upcoming satellites will be built on the Eurostar Neo platform and are expected to weigh approximately 6 metric tons. The company highlights that these satellites will possess advanced capabilities to effectively manage the increasing demands of digitalization and the substantial data transfer requirements.
