Airbus manufacturing for the OneWeb system. Photo: Airbus

Eutelsat is tapping Airbus Defence and Space to build another 340 OneWeb satellites in a major new deal as it looks to boost the capabilities of its Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network. Together with the previous batch of 100 satellites procured just over 12 months ago, the total number of satellites ordered is up to 440.

The new satellites will integrate technology upgrades including advanced digital channelizers, enabling enhanced onboard processing capabilities as well as greater efficiency and flexibility. The satellites incorporate optimized architecture designed to maximize long-term operational performance. Eutelsat announced the new deal, Jan. 12.

The satellites will be manufactured at Airbus Defence and Space’s Toulouse facility on a newly installed production line, with delivery starting from the end of 2026. With these latest satellites, Eutelsat will also be evaluating opportunities for new business cases, particularly hosted payloads.

“We are pleased to rely on our long-standing partner, Airbus, for the procurement of these latest satellites. They ensure service continuity for the growing number of our customers and distribution partners benefiting from the unparalleled performance of our ubiquitous, low latency LEO capacity, and enable us to pursue our growth path, building on the 80 percent topline expansion delivered in 2025,” Jean-François Fallacher, CEO of Eutelsat, said in a statement.