Military comms satellite launched to aid French forces
NewsJuly 10, 2023
KOUROU, French Guiana. The SYRACUSE 4B military communications satellite, the latest addition to the SYRACUSE IV defense communications system, was successfully launched from the Guiana Space Center by an Ariane 5, according to a statement from manufacturer Thales.
The satellite joins its counterpart, SYRACUSE 4A, in orbit to enhance communication capabilities for the French armed forces. The SYRACUSE IV system, built for the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) by the Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space consortium, replaces the previous generation SYRACUSE III system, aiming to provide additional capacity, faster throughput, and expanded coverage for the armed forces, the company says.
Unlike commercial satellites, SYRACUSE 4B is equipped to withstand jamming to ensure service continuity and resilience, and the satellite also has cyber-defense and data encryption technologies, the statement adds.
Other contributors to the SYRACUSE IV system include Telespazio, responsible for satellite positioning and station-keeping, and Thales, which supplies the user ground segment.
