Airbus and Thales Win Order for SpainSat Replacement

Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space have won the contract to build SpainSat NG III, the replacement for Spain's secure military communications satellite, SpaceNews reported on August 3. The order is part of a broader European effort to refresh military satellite communications capacity.

What SpainSat Is

SpainSat is Spain's primary secure military communications satellite, providing X-band and military Ka-band services for Spanish armed forces and NATO allies. The current satellite, SpainSat NG II, was launched in 2024. SpainSat NG III will replace SpainSat NG I - the original SpainSat, which is approaching end of life - and provide additional capacity for surge operations.

"Airbus and Thales win order for SpainSat replacement," SpaceNews wrote.

The Industry Pattern

The order is part of a broader European push to refresh military satellite communications capacity. Spain has separately committed up to $2.3 billion for national military communications as part of the EU's IRIS² constellation. France, Germany, Italy, and the UK are all pursuing similar programs. The combined investment is reshaping the European space industry and creating meaningful export opportunities.

What's Next

SpainSat NG III is expected to launch in 2029, on a European launch vehicle. The satellite will be built at Airbus's facilities in Spain and Thales's facilities in France and Italy. The contract value was not disclosed, but military communications satellites of this class typically run in the $400-700 million range.