Airbus has announced that it is to continue operating Germany’s military satellite system for the next seven years. The European defense giant was awarded the $162 million contract by BAAINBw, the German Armed Forces procurement agency. Airbus has been operating the SATCOMBw secure satellite communications system for Germany since 2006, and includes the in-orbit operation of the military COMSATBw1 and COMSATBw 2 satellites, as well as the operation of their teleport and associated networks in Weilheim, Germany.