(Reuters) - Germany's OHB AG confirmed it won a 250 million euro ($330 million) contract to build eight satellites for the European Union's Galileo navigation system.

OHB's aerospace engineering unit "OHB System is the prime contractor for the construction of what is now a total of 22 satellites for the system," OHB said in a statement on Thursday.

EU officials with knowledge of the decision told Reuters on Wednesday that the EU would award OHB the contract.

The German company beat off competition from a consortium led by EADS Astrium to secure the contract. OHB also secured the last tender in 2010, when it won an order to make the first 14 satellites for Galileo.

($1 = 0.7577 euros)

Germany