EU launches joint secure satellite communications program

The European Union has officially launched Govsatcom, a program uniting the satellite communication capabilities of all 27 member states.

Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said the program went live last week, giving all EU countries access to shared secure satellite communications, Caliber.Az reports, citing the European Commission’s official website.

Govsatcom marks a first step toward reducing Europe’s reliance on foreign providers for critical operations. The program allows EU governments to lease secure communication resources from each other for confidential missions and other government operations, including emergency services, law enforcement, and military activities.

Kubilius also announced the start of frequency operations for IRIS², a future European satellite communications network intended to replace Starlink.

The IRIS² network, planned for deployment in the 2030s, will consist of about 280 satellites providing secure communications across the EU, with initial services expected to become available in 2029.

By Jeyhun Aghazada