Airbus Wins SpainSat NG-III Contract to Strengthen Spain and NATO’s Secure Military Communications
Airbus Defence and Space has secured a major contract from Hisdesat to develop SpainSat NG-III, the next-generation secure military communications satellite, which will further strengthen Spain's sovereign space capabilities and enhance secure communications for NATO and allied defense forces.
Announced on July 31, Airbus will serve as the prime contractor for the design, integration, testing, and delivery of what is expected to become one of Europe's most advanced secure communications satellites. The program builds on the highly capable SpainSat NG architecture while introducing significant technological upgrades aimed at addressing an increasingly contested and electronically hostile operating environment.
The award represents another milestone in Europe's effort to enhance strategic autonomy by investing in resilient, sovereign satellite communications infrastructure capable of supporting military and government operations across multiple theaters.
Designed for the Electronic Battlefield
Unlike traditional military communications satellites, SpainSat NG-III has been engineered to operate in environments where electronic warfare has become a defining challenge.
Developed by Airbus in Spain, the satellite features advanced active X-band receive and transmit antennas capable of performing the work of 16 conventional antennas. These digital antennas can dynamically reshape their coverage areas up to 1,000 times every second, allowing operators to rapidly redirect communications while detecting, identifying, and mitigating electronic interference with exceptional precision.
The satellite's payload architecture also includes UHF and military Ka-band communications systems, led by Thales Alenia Space in Spain, providing secure and flexible communications for a wide range of defense and government users.
Greater Capacity, Flexibility, and Protection
SpainSat NG-III introduces several improvements over previous generations, including:
Increased operational agility
Expanded communications bandwidth
Enhanced resistance to jamming and electronic attacks
Advanced anti-spoofing capabilities
Improved encrypted command-and-control connectivity
These enhancements are intended to ensure uninterrupted communications during military operations, even in highly contested electromagnetic environments.
Built to Withstand Extreme Threats
One of the satellite's defining capabilities is its resilience against some of the most severe threats modern military spacecraft may face.
SpainSat NG-III incorporates hardened protection against high-altitude nuclear events (HANE) and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effects, enabling it to continue operating under conditions that could disable conventional satellite systems.
The platform has also been designed to meet stringent NATO requirements for:
Signal intelligence resilience
Anti-jamming protection
Anti-spoofing performance
Secure military communications
These capabilities make the satellite a critical asset for maintaining command-and-control communications during high-intensity conflicts.
Strengthening European Strategic Autonomy
According to Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus Defence and Space, the new satellite reflects the growing importance of sovereign space infrastructure amid today's evolving geopolitical landscape.
"In today's complex geopolitical landscape, SpainSat NG-III reinforces Spanish and European strategic autonomy by securing mission-critical communications for Spain, NATO, and our allied forces."
The SpainSat NG constellation has become Europe's flagship secure satellite communications program, delivering encrypted, high-capacity communications for defense and government users.
Expanding Global Coverage
Once operational, SpainSat NG-III will provide secure communications across a vast geographic footprint spanning North and South America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Operating alongside SpainSat NG-I, which entered service following its 2025 launch, the constellation will provide secure coverage across approximately two-thirds of the Earth's surface, significantly expanding operational flexibility for Spanish and allied military forces.
Beyond its strategic value, the program also reinforces Europe's industrial base by continuing to support both the Spanish and wider European space sectors through advanced satellite manufacturing, systems integration, and defense technology development.
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