Airbus CEO Urges EU to Speed Up Space Defence Plans

Europe has the potential to make a significant leap forward in space technology and defence capabilities, but only if it shifts from prolonged planning to faster execution, according to Airbus Defence and Space CEO Michael Schöllhorn.

Speaking to Euronews, Schöllhorn said the continent risks falling further behind global competitors — particularly the United States — if policymakers continue focusing on large, complex programmes instead of practical, scalable solutions.

He stressed that Europe currently lacks sufficient “active space defence” capabilities, meaning the ability to protect satellites, respond to threats, and counter adversaries targeting critical space infrastructure. With satellites playing an essential role in intelligence, surveillance, communications, and defence, strengthening this area has become increasingly urgent.

Concerns Over Delays and Scale

The European Commission has proposed a Space Shield initiative as part of its broader Defence Readiness Roadmap, aimed at boosting Europe’s defence capacity before 2030. Space technology is seen as a central component of that strategy.

However, Schöllhorn argued that Europe’s progress has been slowed by underinvestment and fragmented efforts. European aerospace firms remain far smaller than their US counterparts, limiting their ability to compete with companies such as SpaceX, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.

While the EU plans to mobilize up to €800 billion in defence-related investment by 2030, and countries like Germany have pledged billions for military space systems, Schöllhorn noted that US defence budgets still significantly exceed European spending.

IRIS² Project Under Criticism

Schöllhorn also pointed to delays in the EU’s IRIS² satellite constellation, intended as Europe’s alternative to Elon Musk’s Starlink network.

The system, comprising nearly 300 satellites, is designed to support secure communications, crisis management, and defence operations. Yet it is not expected to be operational until 2029, well behind Starlink’s current capabilities.

According to Schöllhorn, the EU attempted to leap ahead with an overly ambitious design rather than building incrementally using available technologies. He suggested a faster, step-by-step approach would have delivered results sooner.

Call for Practical Action

Beyond funding, Schöllhorn warned that bureaucracy and regulatory hurdles could undermine Europe’s ambitions. He urged governments to simplify processes, define clearer programmes, and enable companies to act quickly.

Despite the challenges, he remains optimistic that Europe could still achieve a “quantum leap” in space capability before the end of the decade — provided policymakers prioritise execution over lengthy planning.
His message was direct: large strategies on paper mean little without concrete action.

Source

Euronews