Thales Alenia Space wins €3B+ IRIS² secure gov payload contract

Thales Alenia Space will supply the secure government Ka-band payload for all 330 IRIS² low-Earth-orbit satellites, with deliveries slated for 2026–2030. The €3B+ order cements the EU's sovereign secure-communications posture, though contract finalization and execution risks remain. This is a major European defense-industrial win that strengthens the bloc's strategic autonomy in space-based secure comms.