The defense ministers of France, Germany and Italy finally declared their intent to fund project definition of a European medium-altitude, long-endurance (Male) UAV today. Airbus Defence and Space, Dassault Aviation and Finmeccanica will spend two years conducting the Euro-Male study. The industrial trio first combined to suggest such a project in 2013 and delivered its proposal to the three governments a year ago.
“This important step by industry and government clearly recognizes that sovereignty in development of new systems, and specifically in military reconnaissance and unmanned aviation, is of strategic importance for European security,” said Bernhard Gerwert, CEO of Airbus D&S. “European countries must develop a sovereign, next-generation Male UAS,” said Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation. “This initiative is a unique opportunity to pursue a joint technological path,” said Mauro Moretti, CEO of Finmeccanica.
The three companies have watched in frustration as European air forces turned to Israel and the U.S. for Male UAS. Hence their emphasis on "sovereignty" in today’s statements. But airworthiness and certifiability will be another important criterion that drives the study, a spokesman for Airbus D&S told AIN. He said that European countries are identifying multiple roles for a Male UAS, including internal security missions. Today, only the French Harfang adaptation of the IAI Heron UAV can fly in "home skies," he added.
Although the three companies issued a new impression of a Euro-Male, the spokesman told AIN that they are starting the study “with a clean sheet of paper.” The configuration could be high- or low-wing, twin or single-engine, jet or turboprop. The armed forces and procurement agencies of the customer countries will be involved in the study, the three companies said. The platform will be capable of delivering weapons, the spokesman added, but non-armed versions could serve in parapublic roles. If the study were followed by development and procurement contracts, the first systems could be delivered “in the early 2020s,” the companies said.
