Airbus is planning to shift mission-critical applications from U.S. cloud providers to a European cloud, emphasizing digital sovereignty and tighter control over sensitive data amid growing concerns over the U.S. CLOUD Act and national security.
Europe’s largest aerospace manufacturer, Airbus, is reportedly preparing to migrate key mission-critical workloads from American technology giants Google and Microsoft to a digitally sovereign European cloud. The move comes as the company consolidates its data center operations and seeks greater control over highly sensitive information, including aircraft design data, enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), and manufacturing execution systems.
Catherine Jestin, Airbus’ executive vice president of digital, highlighted the need for a sovereign cloud, stating, “Part of the information is extremely sensitive from a national and European perspective. We want to ensure this information remains under European control.” Digital sovereignty, which ensures that local laws govern the storage, access, and management of data, has become increasingly crucial amid geopolitical uncertainties.
Concerns over U.S. CLOUD Act
The CLOUD Act, enacted in 2018, allows U.S. authorities to request data from American tech companies regardless of whether it is stored domestically or overseas. Despite assurances from Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Google, fears persist that sensitive data could be accessed under U.S. jurisdiction. Microsoft, in a French court hearing last year, admitted it could not guarantee full data sovereignty under the legislation, though it clarified that no European company or public sector body had been affected.
Implications for Airbus and Europe
By shifting to a European cloud, Airbus aims to safeguard sensitive corporate and defense-related information while maintaining compliance with national regulations. The planned migration is expected to cover both on-premises and cloud-hosted applications, reinforcing Airbus’ commitment to digital security. This move reflects broader European concerns about data control and the strategic importance of establishing localized cloud infrastructure to reduce reliance on non-European providers.
The tender for this migration is anticipated to be one of the largest European cloud contracts, underlining Airbus’ role in advancing secure, sovereign digital infrastructure in the aerospace sector.
See What’s Next in Tech With the Fast Forward Newsletter
Tweets From @varindiamag
Nothing to see here - yet
When they Tweet, their Tweets will show up here.
