European MALE Designs Challenge U.S. and Israeli UAVs | Aviation International News

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

European MALE Designs Challenge U.S. and Israeli UAVs

Two new medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAVs are due to make their first flights next year as European aerospace companies challenge the lead in this

By Chris Pocock • Defense Correspondent

December 16, 2008

Two new medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAVs are due to make their first flights next year as European aerospace companies challenge the lead in this field established by Israel and the U.S. The BAE Systems Mantis technology demonstrator, unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show in July, might become airborne as early as next month in Australia.

Alenia has said it will fly the Molynx, which is twin-turboprop pusher design like the Mantis. The Italian and British armed forces are already flying single-engine Predator and Reaper UAV systems, respectively, both supplied by General Atomics. However, BAE Systems persuaded the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to partially fund the Mantis demonstrator, amid concerns about the lack of operational sovereignty over the Reaper system.

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