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Eutelsat and French Armed Forces Ministry Announce Call-Off Capacity Contract in the Context of the NEXUS Framework Agreement

Eutelsat  announced the signature, through the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), of the CENTAURE contract, marking the first call-off contract under the €1bn NEXUS framework agreement with the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans inked in June 2025.

This new milestone marks the first concrete implementation of the NEXUS project (Neo-Space for Multiple Secure Uses), a strategic initiative led by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans to strengthen France's military satellite communications capabilities by combining sovereign assets with trusted commercial capacity. Against a geopolitical backdrop characterised by growing demand for secure, resilient and sovereign connectivity, France is continuing to enhance its space capabilities while preparing for the deployment of the future European IRIS2 constellation.

The total CENTAURE contract is valued at circa €350 million1, for a duration of up to eight years. It is comprised of an initial firm commitment of €138 million2 over a period of four years for the provision of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite capacity across multiple areas of strategic interest to the French Armed Forces as well as an initial stage aimed at enhancing the security of Eutelsat's OneWeb services.

This approach ensures the French Armed Forces benefit from sustained access to low-latency, globally available satellite resources, while maintaining operational continuity and flexibility during the ramp-up of the European IRIS2 programme.

Through its OneWeb constellation, the only global LEO constellation currently operated by a European provider and readily available for governmental use, Eutelsat delivers secure operational capabilities tailored to the requirements of today's most demanding defence missions.

The NEXUS agreement demonstrates how trusted European commercial space infrastructure can complement sovereign defence assets and accelerate the deployment of next-generation capabilities. As space becomes an increasingly critical component of national security, Europe must be able to rely on resilient, secure and sovereign connectivity solutions under its own control.

Jean‑François Fallacher, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat, said: "The signature of the CENTAURE contract marks a major milestone in the implementation of the NEXUS framework agreement and reflects the continued trust placed by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces in the capabilities of our OneWeb constellation. In a profoundly transformed strategic environment, secure, resilient and low-latency connectivity has become a decisive driver of military operational effectiveness. With an infrastructure that is immediately available and field-proven, Eutelsat is now delivering a concrete response to the needs of the French Armed Forces.”

Patrick Pailloux, Director General for Armaments (DGA) added: "With the CENTAURE call-off contract, France is taking another step forward in the modernisation of its military satellite communications capabilities. Recent conflicts have demonstrated the critical importance of diverse, secure, resilient and sovereign connectivity for the conduct of modern operations. By relying on a trusted European solution that is immediately available and provides global low-latency coverage, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans is acquiring the necessary resources to address today’s operational challenges while laying the groundwork for the future sovereign European capabilities that will be delivered through the IRIS2 programme."