Airbus flies in to acquire French cybersecurity firm

Airbus who has a significant base in Filton, Bristol has entered into an agreement for the acquisition of the French cyber-security company Quarkslab.

This planned investment is another step of Airbus’ strategy to reinforce its position as a trusted, sovereign partner for French authorities, while strengthening its presence in the European cybersecurity landscape. Closing of the transaction is subject to consultation with social partners as well as customary regulatory approvals, and is expected in the course of 2026.

This is the second cybersecurity acquisition in less than a month for Airbus Defence and Space.

Quarkslab is a privately-owned French cybersecurity company founded in 2011, with approximately 100 employees, primarily based in Paris and Rennes. Since 2020, the firm has been backed by Tikehau Capital, a global alternative asset manager. The company delivers cyber security solutions to help organisations protect critical assets, data, and users from cyberattacks. It also markets QShield, a comprehensive solution for software providers, to protect software against AI threats, safeguard data, secrets and code and to secure edge components, namely in the defence and aerospace industries, from being reverse engineered by attackers or AI.

This move follows the successful acquisition of Infodas in Germany in 2024 and the planned acquisition of Ultra Cyber Ltd in the UK announced in March 2026, which strengthened Airbus’ European sovereign capabilities of its cybersecurity business.

Airbus Defence and Space operates a pan-European cyber activity across France, the UK, Germany, Spain and Finland. They secure complex digital systems and networks that Airbus Defence and Space delivers to its customers, as well as provide critical customers, primarily governments, armed forces and institutions, with cybersecurity expertise and products.