A business unit within Airbus Group‘s defense and space segment has unveiled a new public safety communications system that works to combine equipment, software and services in efforts to help federal agencies transition to Next Generation 9-1-1. The company said Monday Airbus DS Communications‘ VESTA NEXT portfolio offering includes IP call handling, call routing, ESInet and GIS functions as […] More

An Airbus Group voice encryption technology has been added to the Defense Information Systems Agency‘s list of approved products for deployment on Defense Department-run networks. Airbus said Thursday its ECTOCRYP Black device with R1.2.3 software offers voice communications security options not previously seen in legacy Secure Communications Interoperability Protocol systems. The platform is built with a common commercial-off-the-shelf hardware architecture that operators can program to accommodate new features […] More

John Kefaliotis, formerly Exelis vice president of international strategy and business development, has been appointed as president of Airbus Group‘s air traffic management subsidiary. Airbus said Monday Kefaliotis provides more than 40 years of air traffic management experience in operational air traffic control, government services and systems contracting to support Metron Aviation‘s mission. “With air traffic doubling […] More

Airbus Group has received a contract from Germany’s defense procurement agency to operate Israel Aerospace Industries-built Heron 1 unmanned aerial systems in support of German forces’ missions in Mali. Airbus’ defense and space business will begin UAS operations in Mali in November through February 2018, Airbus said Thursday. Thomas Reinartz, head of sales for unmanned […] More

Airbus‘ defense and space business will continue to provide WelComE welfare communication services to the U.K. military through August 2022 under an estimated $20.3 million contract renewal from the U.K. ministry of defense. The company said Thursday the WelComE services work to supply welfare communications across various operational environments, including satellite phones, Wi-Fi services and video calling. Airbus Defense and Space […] More

An L-3 Communications division has secured an order from an agency in Finland to supply infrared imaging tools for installation onboard Airbus Group-built H215 helicopters. L-3 WESCAM will integrate its MX-15 electro-optical and infrared imaging systems with Finnish Border Guard’s H215 aircraft designed for use in search-and-rescue and maritime border patrol missions, L-3 Communications said Monday. […] More

A team comprising Airbus Group‘s defense and space unit and Telespazio‘s French subsidiary has secured a follow-on contract to provide satellite-based maritime surveillance services to the French navy. France’s maritime zone commanders will have access to a portal of radar and optical satellite images as well as automatic identification system data under the four-year Trimaran 2 program, Airbus said Thursday. Airbus and Telespazio […] More

An Airbus Group subsidiary has secured a contract of an undisclosed value to develop landing technology for integration with the Russian Luna-Resource robotic lunar vehicle. Airbus’ defense and space business will build the Precise and Intelligent Landing using Onboard Technologies system in support of a moon exploration project between ESA and Russian space agency Roscosmos, Airbus said Thursday. The PILOT Phase B and […] More

Fairfax County, Virginia will install an Airbus-built call handling platform into the jurisdiction’s future 911 system for use by more than 1.1 million residents. Airbus said Monday it will provide the company’s Vesta 9-1-1 call handling platform to Fairfax County in support of the latter’s contract to General Dynamics for work to help develop, deploy, maintain and support a “next-generation” 911 network. Steve McMurrer, Fairfax […] More

Global airplane maker and defense contractor Airbus will invest an additional $1 million toward a material distribution center the company operates in Ashburn, Virginia that will support a consolidated operations hub with the parent company’s Satair Group subsidiary. Airbus will also add more employees to the facility as the company works to fulfill orders of more than 2,800 Airbus aircraft for customers in the Latin America, North […] More

Airbus has selected Flatirons Solutions to provide software for work to produce and maintain the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft for Denmark. Flatirons’ CORENA software will be incorporated into the Danish Fighter Replacement Program to fulfill the requirements for full content lifecycle management, Flatiron said Thursday. Geoffrey Godet, Flatirons CEO, said the company will extend its partnership with Airbus […] More

Airbus Group and Siemens have forged an alliance to further develop hybrid electric propulsion systems in an effort to reduce passenger aircraft’s noise and fuel consumption. The companies have established a team of approximately 200 employees to develop hybrid propulsion platforms and conduct technical demonstrations of such systems by 2020, Airbus said Thursday. “Electric and […] More