This week at #GSTF2026 we invited distinguished speaker, Steve Rowland, Head of Sales Secure Connectivity at Airbus Defence and Space, to share his insights:
There is a shift happening, where Greece is evolving from consumer to contributor in the Allied Defence Space Domain. That is why events such as the #GSTF Forum really matter, they are no longer simply about technology. It is about national ambition and Greece has every reason to be ambitious.
At the GSTF Forum we heard about the success story that is The National Microsat Programme, …which demonstrates that ambition.
I have learned so much about the achievements and remarkable capabilities of the Greek Space ecosystem, and I would like to congratulate everyone who has contributed to this remarkable journey.
Indeed, Greece will now develop and own a Sovereign MilSatCom Capability.
As Greece works towards this endeavour, one reality is impossible to ignore.
The threats to the space domain are real. To achieve Freedom of action, Sovereign Capability must deliver on mitigating these threats. These are no longer theoretical risks…they are an operational reality.
The first action by an adversary before a kinetic attack will be to take out Command and Control (C2), including jamming satellite communications. We saw this in Ukraine of course and many other conflicts. So, it must be made clear that; acquiring a satellite without countermeasures will be useless against the aggressor’s jammers. Afterall would you buy a fighter jet without countermeasures against missiles?
I would like everyone to know that it is this reality that fundamentally drives the way we at Airbus carry a “Defence by Design” approach for Sovereign Capability when it comes to MilSatCom.
There is also a hierarchy of needs which drive the design for Sovereign Capability; starting with basic elements, which can be delivered from the more commercial solutions available. Capacity, Connectivity, Coverage. We of course also need Security and Command and Control of our Space Segment. But then moving up the hierarchy of needs we see support for Military Mobility, Multi Domain Operations and of course Interoperability.
Coalition operations demand sovereign capability that integrates seamlessly with trusted allies. Sovereign capability which is “Allied by design”, is what makes meaningful interoperability possible.
Further to the top of the hierarchy we see the mandatory needs for Sovereign MilSatCom, to overcome the threats we talked about previously. Space Domain Awareness, Resilience and Robustness such as state of the art anti jamming capabilities driving ultimate Survivability.
To enable systems on the ground… in the air…at sea and in space to work together, we must take a System of Systems approach.
Space has never been more central to the success or failure of Multi Domain Operations.
But success will only come through integration and interoperability across the warfighting domains.
As a system integrator Airbus also has a number of “defence by design” building blocks across the domains …and we contribute to the development of many interoperability standards. So, we are well placed to enable this integration.
At Airbus, we also believe that sovereign capability cannot simply be purchased. It must be developed. It must be sustained. And it must increasingly belong to the nation that depends upon it.
That is why our commitment to Greece extends beyond our world leading technologies. It is indeed our ambition to work alongside Greek industry. To collaborate with Defence, Universities and research organisations. To develop engineering skills. To transfer knowledge. To help grow a fully Operational Capability which can support the strategic goals of the nation.
Because strategic autonomy is not just about technology. It’s ultimately built, operated and sustained by people. By their knowledge. By industrial capability. And by trusted long-term partnerships.
Our ambition is therefore very simple; to help Greece move from a consumer, to a contributor in MilSatCom. From acquiring capacity to mastering capability. From a position of dependence on others to sovereign freedom of action and decision advantage over its adversaries.
All of this can be enabled by collaborative and trusted partnerships, on a journey towards sustainable space autonomy and sovereignty for a proud nation.
Airbus is also proud to support that journey, and we look forward to building a strong and sustainable future together with Greece.
