Airbus starts work on at least 66 IRIS² satellites to anchor Europe’s sovereign military communications network from 2029

Airbus has begun work on at least 66 satellites for the initial layer of IRIS², the European Union's sovereign secure-connectivity constellation. The spacecraft form part of a broader multi-orbit network intended to provide encrypted government communications, military resilience and commercial broadband, with initial deployment targeted from 2029 and payload work distributed across European suppliers. The commitment anchors industrial production but does not represent the entire constellation, which will include hundreds of satellites and ground infrastructure; schedule discipline, launch availability and secure service integration remain central delivery risks.