Proximus and Thales win major NATO IT modernisation contract

Belgian digital services and communications provider Proximus, teamed up with the French defence firm Thales in a consortium, has secured a major six-year IT contract with NATO. The deal, awarded by NATO’s Communications and Information Agency (NCIA), is reportedly worth over 100 million euros, although the exact amount has not been officially disclosed.

This marks one of Proximus’ largest IT contracts to date, L’Echo writes. The project will overhaul NATO’s IT systems. It will provide a range of services, including secure cloud infrastructure, high-performance computing, and advanced cybersecurity solutions.

Under the agreement, the consortium will deliver an “Infrastructure as a Service” (IaaS) model on an accredited cloud, along with scalable cloud storage and security systems. They will also replace NATO’s entire laptop fleet, around 5,000 devices, with new, secure units capable of handling multiple levels of classified data.

In addition to core IT services, the deal includes managing daily operational tech at NATO’s Brussels HQ, such as implementing a digital workspace management system.

While Thales has worked with NATO before, this is the first time the French firm and Proximus have partnered for such a contract. Proximus, through its Proximus NXT division launched in 2023, is expanding beyond telecoms into IT and cybersecurity. This NATO contract comes shortly after the company secured a similar 100 million euro framework agreement with the Belgian federal government in February to protect key ministries including finance, justice, and economy.

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