Airbus wins a strategic contract for 340 satellites for OneWeb: crucial support from the French Treasury and Bpifrance Assurance Export

On January 12, 2026, the European operator Eutelsat announced an order for 340 new satellites for OneWeb from Airbus, bringing the total number of satellites ordered from the French manufacturer to 440. This major operation, crucial for strengthening European sovereignty in space telecommunications, was made possible thanks to the structural support of the French government.

The decisive role of Bpifrance Assurance Export

The realization of this export contract was made possible by the financial support provided by the French Treasury, with the assistance of its operator, Bpifrance Assurance Export. Since January 2017, this Bpifrance subsidiary has been managing all public export guarantees on behalf of, for, and under the supervision of the French State.

To secure the financial arrangement of this large-scale project, Bpifrance Assurance Export has mobilized a set of guarantee instruments designed to cover the risks related to financing and to ensure its feasibility.

The deployed systems enable, in particular:

• To protect banks against political and commercial risks by means of buyer credit insurance;
• To facilitate the implementation of bank commitments with surety insurance and export pre-financing insurance;
• To protect the exporter against the risks of interruption and non-payment through commercial contract insurance.

A matter of European sovereignty

The 340 new satellites, to be manufactured at Airbus's Toulouse site and delivered from the end of 2026, will replace the first OneWeb satellites, which are reaching the end of their operational life. The OneWeb constellation, with more than 600 satellites in low Earth orbit, is the only European alternative to the American Starlink system in the professional satellite internet connectivity market.

This public support is part of a strategic vision to preserve and strengthen European industrial capabilities in critical technologies. In a context of increased international competition in the space sector, government intervention through the French Treasury and its operator, Bpifrance Assurance Export, plays a crucial role in ensuring sovereign control of space telecommunications infrastructure at the European level.

Beyond its strategic importance, this project generates significant economic benefits. In particular, it enables the establishment of a new production line in Toulouse, while also helping to maintain highly skilled expertise within the French aerospace industry.

A mission dedicated to competitiveness

This operation illustrates the central role played by the French Treasury and Bpifrance Assurance Export in supporting French exports and strengthening the international competitiveness of our businesses. By mobilizing all its operators and financial instruments, the French Treasury is pursuing its mission of preserving national and European economic sovereignty in sectors with strong future potential.