France partners with Airbus Airbus to develop and operate cyber training ecosystem for French Armed Forces

In a strategic move to bolster national cyber resilience, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces has entrusted Airbus Defence and Space with the comprehensive training of its cybersecurity personnel – from analysts to frontline cyber warriors. The eight-year programme aims to turn the COMCYBER Academy into a cutting-edge hub for operational readiness in the digital battlespace.

The French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has signed a long-term framework contract with Airbus Defence and Space to design, deliver and operate cyber training platforms for the Ministry of the Armed Forces. The eight-year agreement – supported by co-contractor Neverhack – will include infrastructure development, technical support, and live operational training across the full spectrum of cyber threats.

At the heart of the initiative is the Cyber Defence Academy of COMCYBER (Cyber Defence Command), located near Rennes. The new training centre will simulate complex digital battlefields where military personnel can rehearse responses to cyberattacks ranging from malware and DDoS attacks to data theft, information warfare, and disinformation campaigns.

Each scenario will combine realistic IT infrastructure with simulated human behaviour – including insider threats – and real-world military systems such as C4ISR and weapons platforms. The training environments will be powered by Airbus' proven CyberRange technology, which has already been deployed in sensitive civilian sectors and ministries for over a decade.

Airbus' CyberRange allows for the dynamic simulation of offensive and defensive cyber operations at scale, including joint and multinational exercises like Orion and DefNet. The platform integrates tools for incident response, system hardening, and threat intelligence – and is built to evolve alongside emerging technologies and threat vectors.

One of the programme’s strategic goals is to expand the talent pipeline for France’s defence ecosystem. The platform will be used not only for advanced operational training but also to educate students and young professionals in partnership with schools, universities and national competitions – such as "Passe ton Hack d’abord", which has involved over 7,000 participants to date.

The training infrastructure will also support collaboration with SMEs and start-ups, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence, to help develop adaptive and resilient cyber defence capabilities for the future. Airbus Defence and Space’s Security Operations Centres (SOCs) – both static and tactical – will play a key role in maintaining security oversight and continuity during operations, including deployments abroad.

This project further positions Airbus as a key partner in Europe’s sovereign cybersecurity capabilities, reinforcing not only national resilience but also the EU's ambitions to reduce dependency on non-European defence technologies.