e-News® | The NEWS Company…PARIS, Sept.15, 2015 : Airbus Defence and Space announced at DSEi that it has won a contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to equip one of the world’s most iconic military aircraft with cryptographic key management technology. The Cryptographic Key Management solution will be supplied to the A400M military transport aircraft programme to provide the highest protection for encrypted data and prevent data compromise that could threaten the safety and security of an aircraft’s mission

Developed by cyber experts from Airbus Defence and Space at Newport in the UK, the world-beating technology eliminates the need for crypto equipment aboard an airborne platform to be individually re-keyed before every mission. It provides increased flexibility and permits prolonged out-of-area operation. The initial development contract for the A400M, worth £3.3 million, will see Airbus Defence and Space, design, develop, manufacture, accredit and deliver the A400M Local Crypto Key Management System, in the initial 15 month development phase; with an additional range of options to extend the support, and provide Post Design Services up until 2020.

“This is a significant win for the company as it will see us providing our already world-leading crypto and Key Management technology to another major military aircraft. Crypto and Key Management secures the communications and other systems of an aircraft and our technology will play a major role in providing the highest protection for encrypted data across key military platforms,” said Colin Paynter, Head of Airbus Defence and Space in the UK.

“It builds on the experience and the excellent customer relationship our Programme and Engineering teams already have on the Eurofighter Typhoon and will enable the RAF to utilise the A400M more fully. The Airbus cyber security UK team is now in discussions with other MOD platform IPTs about building on our joint experience in delivering this sovereign Cryptography and Key Management capability to in-service platforms.”

Press contacts:
Jeremy Close + 44 14 38 77 38 72 jeremy.close@airbus.com
Nelly Tartivel +33 (0)1 61 38 70 60 nelly.tartivel@airbus.com
Florian Taitsch +49 89 3179 4644 florian.taitsch@airbus.com