Politics · Spain · 2 hrs ago
Spain awards Thales a three-year contract for secure military messaging
Spain’s Defence Ministry has awarded French company Thales a three-year contract worth €14.27 million to provide licences and support for MEFO.
The system is used to share classified information securely across the ministry and the armed forces.
It is intended to support military operations and let senior commanders exchange formal messages across different levels.
It can also support formal messaging with NATO and the European Union.
MEFO replaced Hermes, the previous system, which had been in service for 24 years.
Historical files from Hermes were transferred to MEFO and can be consulted through a dedicated platform.
The contract was negotiated without inviting other potential suppliers, with the ministry citing technical reasons.
Spain has awarded French company Thales a three-year contract to supply licences and support for the Defence Ministry’s secure military messaging system.
The contract is worth €14.27 million and was negotiated without inviting other potential suppliers for technical reasons.
The MEFO system is used to share classified information and communicate with NATO and the European Union.
It has been implemented across the Defence Ministry’s central bodies and armed forces, replacing the Hermes system.
- Who
- Spain’s Defence Ministry awarded the contract to French company Thales.
- What
- The contract covers licences and support for MEFO, the ministry’s formal military messaging system.
- When
- The contract lasts three years. The sources do not state when it was awarded.
- Where
- The system is used across Spain’s Defence Ministry, including its armed forces and central bodies.
- Why
- MEFO supports secure sharing of classified information and military communications. The contract was negotiated without inviting other potential suppliers for technical reasons.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The previous formal messaging system, Hermes, was replaced by MEFO.
The Defence Ministry reported the complete replacement of Hermes and said its historical files had been transferred to MEFO.
- Contract value
- €14.27 million
- Contract duration
- Three years
- Contract recipient
- Thales, a French company
- System
- MEFO, the Defence Ministry’s formal military messaging service
- Previous system
- Hermes, in service for 24 years
What people are saying
These military messaging services must support the operational capabilities of the Ministry of Defence, ensuring the exchange of information in strategic, operational and tactical environments, at each level and between the different levels.
The system was pioneering in many of its functions and marked a milestone in Spain’s military communications.
Sources
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