Eutelsat Secures Centaure Contract with French Armed Forces, Up to €350M Over 8 Years
Eutelsat announced on Monday the signing of the CENTAURE contract with the French Ministry of Armed Forces, the first execution agreement of the NEXUS framework concluded in June 2025. This contract, worth a maximum of €350M over eight years, includes a firm commitment of €138M for four years and aims to provide low orbit connectivity capabilities to the French armed forces.
A Defense Contract Structured in Two Phases
The CENTAURE contract, signed by the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), represents the first tender launched under the NEXUS framework agreement (Neo-Space for Multiple Secure Uses) with a total value of €1 billion. It is a multi-year agreement structured in two parts: a first phase, lasting four years with a firm commitment of €138M, for the provision of low orbit capabilities, and an initial phase aimed at enhancing the security of Eutelsat's OneWeb services. The contract covers the provision of low-latency satellite resources in several strategic areas of interest for the French armed forces, enabling continuous access to globally available connectivity.
OneWeb, the Only Operational European Low Orbit Constellation
Eutelsat operates its OneWeb constellation, the only low orbit constellation currently operated by a European provider, to make immediately operational capacities available. This solution is part of the French strategy to strengthen military satellite communication capabilities pending the deployment of the future European constellation IRIS 2. The choice of OneWeb is based on its immediate availability, global coverage, and low-latency capabilities, meeting the current operational needs of the armed forces in a geopolitical context marked by a growing demand for secure and sovereign connectivity.
The Concrete Implementation of a Hybrid European Strategy
The NEXUS agreement illustrates the French approach of combining sovereign assets with reliable commercial capabilities to accelerate the deployment of next-generation means. According to Patrick Pailloux, Director General of Armaments, 'France is advancing in the modernization of its military satellite communication capabilities' by relying on 'an immediately available trusted European solution', while preparing for the arrival of future sovereign European capabilities via IRIS 2.
