Airbus wins 25-year cybersecurity contract for French armed forces
Airbus will develop and maintain gateways that allow the French armed forces to exchange data securely between networks with different security classifications, including systems used in aircraft and deployed command posts
The French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has awarded Airbus a 25-year contract for the PARACOM cybersecurity program. The agreement, awarded after a competitive tender, covers the design, development, production and long-term maintenance of gateways for the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans’ Affairs.
The gateways will filter data moving between military networks and information systems with different levels of sensitivity. Airbus said PARACOM was intended to support exchanges ranging from secret to unclassified information, subject to approval and certification.
Airbus plans to offer versions for fixed sites and operational deployments. These include rack-mounted units for data centers and self-contained units for command posts. The system is also designed for restricted tactical environments, including aircraft and drones, as well as vessels and ground vehicles.
The contract will be delivered through Airbus Cybersecurity SAS. Airbus said it had supplied gateway solutions to French land forces since 2013.
Mandy Langfield
Mandy Langfield is a Director of Palladium Media Partners and former Publishing Director at Voyageur Group. She has written extensively on international travel and health insurance, medical assistance provision, and air medical transportation. She was Editor of AirMed&Rescue from December 2017 until April 2021. Her favourite helicopter is the Chinook, having grown up near an RAF training ground.