Airbus will build France's first signals intelligence (SIGINT) satellites.
The contract, with French defense procurement agency DGA, is for three CERES satellites, according to an Airbus announcement. CERES, which stands for Capacité de REnseignement Electromagnétique Spatiale, is due to enter service around 2020. The three satellites are to be closely positioned in orbit, and work together to detect and locate ground signals.
Airbus and Thales are the prime contractors. Airbus will handle the space satellite segment of the project while Thales is responsible for the payload and the user ground segment. The two manufacturers are the joint prime contractors for the entire system. In addition, Thales Alenia Space acts as a subcontractor to Airbus Defense and Space in supplying the platform.
"Signals intelligence is flagged as a top priority in the French Defense and National Security white paper," said François Auque, Airbus's head of space systems.
