Airbus Defence and Space, leading a consortium with Naval Group, has secured a €480 million, 10-year contract from the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) for the third phase of the Réseau IP de la Force Aéronavale (RIFAN) network.
Between 2026 and 2032, more than 80 naval vessels, including aircraft carriers, frigates, and submarines, will receive high-speed, low-latency communication upgrades to enhance collaborative combat capabilities. The system will also feature enhanced cybersecurity and rapid reconfiguration to ensure resilience in dynamic operational scenarios.
This follows the successful deployment of RIFAN 2 (2012–2016), which integrated secure IP-based communications across the French fleet.