Four Major European Air Navigation Service Providers Sign Agreements for Iris Commercial Operations
A significant step forward has been achieved in the operational deployment of Iris commercial services in Europe, with DFS, DSNA, EUROCONTROL MUAC and Skyguide signing commercial service agreements with ESSP, the Iris Service Provider, to drive the service adoption of next-generation satellite-enabled ATM datalink communication across Europe.
During a dedicated recognition moment at Airspace World 2026, representatives from the four ANSPs celebrated their role in advancing Iris commercial operations paving the way to ATM modernization.
This achievement reflects the collaborative effort between ANSPs, industry and institutional partners to bring innovative satellite-enabled ATM datalink communication services into operational use.
With these four major ANSPs engaged, the Iris service already supports about 40% of European air traffic, significantly expanding its operational footprint across the continent.
Driving the Future of ATM Communications
By integrating Iris services into operations, DFS, DSNA, EUROCONTROL MUAC and Skyguide are contributing to the deployment of new technologies and new services that support more efficient flight trajectories, improved network performances, enhanced operational predictability and greener aviation.
Iris leverages satellite communications to complement terrestrial infrastructure and support modern ATM operations relying on advanced datalink services, particularly in high-density and complex airspace environments. The Iris service is designed to enable more reliable and scalable controller-pilot datalink communications (CPDLC) and air-ground trajectory data exchanges (ADS-C), while supporting SESAR modernization objectives and future ATM concepts such as 4D-Trajectory Based Operations.
As European aviation continues its digital transformation, the deployment of Iris represents another important step towards multilink environment increasing operational efficiency, capacity and sustainability across the network.
A collective European achievement
This achievement represents a major collective accomplishment made possible through the close collaboration between European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), Viasat and the European Space Agency (ESA), together with the strong engagement of Europe’s leading air navigation service providers.
By combining satellite datalink communications, regulatory certification and operational expertise, the Iris programme is helping to shape the next generation of European air traffic management communication infrastructure.
The participating organizations also shared their perspectives on the importance of Iris commercial operations and the role of satellite-enabled communications in the future evolution of European ATM.
Charlotte Neyret, CEO of ESSP said:
“The signature of these agreements demonstrates the growing confidence in Iris as a key enabler for the future of ATM. Together with our partners, we are supporting a more connected and efficient aviation ecosystem.”
DFS is a major contributor to the performance and resilience of the European ATM network, supporting one of the continent’s largest volumes of air traffic.
Arndt Schoenemann, CEO at DFS, stated:
“Introducing Satcom marks a major step toward more resilient and efficient air traffic management. By adding a new communication channel, we reduce radio congestion and ensure reliable data exchange between controllers and pilots. At the same time, we are laying the foundation for future concepts like trajectory-based operations.”
Through its continuous focus on ATM modernization and operational excellence, DSNA remains a key player in the evolution of European air traffic management.
Frederic GUIGNIER, DSNA Director, emphasized:
DSNA is very pleased to be one of the four pioneer ANSPs to provide the IRIS Satcom service in Europe. Thanks to this new partnership with ESSP, we are proud to contribute to the wide development of new Datalink services in a large portion of the European airspace. The introduction of this secured and high throughput satellite-based technology will allow Europe to reach an essential step towards the safe introduction of ATS_B2 services and pave the way to future Trajectory Based Operations. I wish the area covered by IRIS Datalink telecommunications will rapidly grow so that all airspace users have access to this new innovative service which is key to the continuing modernisation of aviation in Europe.
EUROCONTROL MUAC’s operational expertise as Europe’s only cross-border, civil-military ANSP makes it a strong contributor to the deployment of next-generation ATM capabilities.
Peggy Devestel, Director of the EUROCONTROL Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) commented:
“I am very pleased that EUROCONTROL MUAC is the first Air Navigation Service Provider to partner with ESSP for the provision of the Iris Service. This collaboration represents a significant milestone in advancing next generation datalink technology supporting CPDLC and ADS C, ensuring we remain at the forefront of delivering safe, efficient and reliable services to our airspace users. By integrating innovative satellite-based communication services, we strengthen the resilience of our operations while contributing to the modernisation of Europe’s aviation network.”
The agreements signed by DFS, DSNA, MUAC and Skyguide represent an important milestone in the operational deployment of Iris across Europe, reflecting the growing confidence in satellite-enabled communications as a key component of the future European ATM ecosystem.
Photo Left to Right: Pierre Outrey DSNA, Luc Chevallier, Skyguide, Charlotte Neyret, ESSP, Peggy Devestel, Eurocontrol MUAC, Friedrich Wilhelm Menge, DFS
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