Airbus Signs Cloud Deal With Scaleway to Power Secure AI and Defense Applications

Airbus has signed a multi-year agreement with French cloud provider Scaleway to support secure cloud infrastructure for sensitive industrial and defense workloads, strengthening its European artificial intelligence strategy alongside startup Mistral.

Announced on Thursday, the partnership will enable Scaleway, owned by Iliad, to host critical Airbus applications covering aircraft design, engineering, industrial production, and corporate operations. The move builds on Airbus' May agreement with French AI company Mistral to develop customized AI solutions for the aerospace and defense sectors.

According to Airbus Chief Digital Officer Catherine Jestin, having Mistral's AI models already deployed on Scaleway's infrastructure will accelerate the company's AI adoption across key operations.

Airbus plans to use Mistral's technology in military systems and certified aviation applications, where protecting intellectual property, research, development, and sensitive operational data is a top priority. The company emphasized the importance of working with European technology providers for these critical workloads.

Jestin said Airbus selected Scaleway after evaluating more than 150 technical and legal requirements. Beyond technical capabilities, the company placed significant emphasis on legal safeguards, including protection from potential "kill switch" scenarios and the reach of extraterritorial laws that could affect access to sensitive data.

The agreement reflects a broader European push toward digital sovereignty as governments and major industries seek greater control over AI infrastructure and cloud services. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into defense, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure, European organizations are looking to reduce dependence on non-European cloud providers.

The initiative also aligns with the European Commission's recently proposed Cloud and AI Development Act, which aims to strengthen Europe's domestic cloud computing and AI capabilities.

Airbus expects to migrate approximately 70 critical applications to Scaleway's cloud platform by the end of 2028. Over the next five to six years, the broader migration program could eventually expand to as many as 900 applications.

Neither Airbus nor Scaleway disclosed the financial terms of the multi-year agreement.