Airbus is moving sensitive systems to a European sovereign cloud due to risks associated with US jurisdiction.
European aerospace firm Airbus has decided to relocate its critical digital systems from Google’s cloud services. Company officials state that this decision is prompted by security and data sovereignty concerns stemming from US jurisdiction over sensitive industrial data.
This move follows a class-action lawsuit filed in the US against Google, alleging privacy violations related to its AI assistant, Gemini. The lawsuit claims that the tool was activated without user consent across Gmail, Chat, and Meet in October, granting Google access to emails, attachments, and video calls, as reported by Bloomberg. Google has refuted these claims.
Airbus is now preparing to issue a significant contract for the migration of its mission-critical workloads to a digitally sovereign European cloud. The company, which currently utilizes Google Workspace, intends to move key on-premises systems after consolidating its data center infrastructure.
This transition will encompass core systems, including those for production, business management, and aircraft design data. Airbus estimates an 80% probability of identifying a European provider capable of meeting its technical and legal requirements.
“I need a sovereign cloud because part of the information is extremely sensitive from a national and European perspective,” stated Airbus executive vice president of digital, Catherine Jestin, to The Register. “We want to ensure this information remains under European control.”
The tender, valued at over €50 million ($58.5 million), is anticipated to launch in early January, with a decision expected before the summer. Airbus, which has led the global aircraft order market for the past six years, recently acknowledged that US competitor Boeing is likely to surpass it this year.
CEO Guillaume Faury commented that Boeing benefited from political support during trade negotiations that involved substantial aircraft purchases.
US President Donald Trump has publicly taken credit for boosting Boeing’s sales, stating earlier this month that he received an award from the manufacturer for being “the greatest salesman in the history of Boeing.”