Airbus and Hisdesat are negotiating a third military satellite as part of the Bromo initiative to unite Europe’s major space players

Executive summary: Airbus and Hisdesat are negotiating a third military satellite contract within the Bromo framework that will combine the space businesses of Airbus, Thales and Leonardo. The deal would deepen European defense space capabilities, consolidate a major industrial bloc, and affect market dynamics for satellite procurement and launch services.

Who is involved: Airbus, Hisdesat, Thales, Leonardo, the Spanish government (via Hisdesat), and European defense procurement agencies.

Likely next: Formal signing of the satellite agreement, followed by the integration of the three space divisions and the eventual procurement and launch of the new military satellite, likely in the 2027‑2028 timeframe.

The talks between Airbus and Spain’s Hisdesat aim to add a third military‑grade spacecraft to a growing fleet, while the broader Bromo project seeks to fuse the space divisions of Airbus, Thales and Leonardo into a single European entity. This move would strengthen the continent’s defense‑space capabilities and reduce reliance on non‑European suppliers. If concluded, the agreement could shift contract shares in the European satellite market and reinforce strategic autonomy in orbit.