Chris Pocock has been covering the defense beat for AIN for over 30&nbsp;years. He is a British citizen and a graduate of the University of Cambridge. Chris worked in the air cargo business for ten years before becoming a full-time writer in 1983. He subsequently edited two air cargo journals before becoming AIN’s Defense Editor. He retired from that position in 2018, but still contributes to the publication. Chris has written extensively on aerial reconnaissance, including four books on the history of the U-2 spyplane. He also lectures on this and other topics related to intelligence-gathering in the Cold War.

Defense Correspondent

Chris Pocock

European governments have reached a crossroad in the potential development of next-generation unmanned aerial systems that could challenge current Israeli and U.S. leadership in this field. The British and French defense ministers will meet in London on Tuesday, July 24, to assess the <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-defense-perspective/2010-11-05/anglo-french-agreement-game-changer-european-uavs">Anglo-French Defence Agreement</a>. They had been expected to award <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2012-07-08/taranis-and-mantis-uavs-move-forward-towards-active-service">contracts to BAE Systems and Dassault for the bilateral pre-development</a> of an unmanned Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and a medium-altitude long-endurance (Male) UAV named <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/paris-air-show/2011-06-19/paris-2011-bae-and-dassault-team-telemos">Telemos and based on BAE Systems’ Mantis</a>.


But prospects of a Male agreement have been clouded by French defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian’s stated preference for a multilateral European development that also involves Germany and Italy. Moreover, the requirement for a new Male design to equip European air forces appears to be receding, as the French and German air arms ponder whether to upgrade their interim systems based on the IAI Heron, or even acquire GA-ASI Reapers from the U.S. The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Italian Air Force have already acquired armed Reapers for service in Afghanistan.


A senior RAF officer indicated last week that the service might not withdraw its Reapers in 2015 after most British troops leave that country, as previously planned. As long ago as 2009, GA-ASI teamed with Cobham Aviation Services UK to boost the Reaper’s appeal and longevity to the RAF. “We can help ease any sovereignty issues and provide British through-life support,” a Cobham official told AIN at the time. A GA-ASI spokesperson told AIN this week that it has an informal agreement with EADS for the latter to act on its behalf in France, if required. Recently, GA-ASI and the U.S. government agreed <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-defense-perspective/2011-09-19/predator-uavs-opening-foreign-sensors-and-control">to integrate non-U.S. sensors</a> on the Predator/Reaper series, and another of the UK’s sovereignty concerns has been addressed by moving the RAF mission control ground station from Nevada to the UK. In Germany, GA-ASI has teamed with Ruag Aerospace to press the merits of the Reaper.


In France, EADS has offered to modernize the air force’s current Harfang UAS based on the IAI Heron 1, which was supplied by EADS, as an alternative to the Reaper or the Voyageur UAS based on the much larger IAI Heron TP and primed by Dassault. The Voyageur was selected but the previous French government never signed on the dotted line to buy it. In Germany, EADS inherited a service contract for the air force’s SAATEG UAS program using leased Heron 1s when it acquired Rheinmetall Defence earlier this year. France and Germany have been flying their unarmed Israeli-supplied UAS in Afghanistan. The German air force is also reported to be eyeing the Heron TP. But the crash of one in Israel last January has clouded the type’s prospects and thrown renewed focus on the proper certification of new UAS.


The EADS leadership has been frustrated by the failure of European governments to embrace its proposed Talarion Male UAS. EADS is believed to have spent more than €400 million on UAS developments in the past 10 years. EADS Cassidian and Alenia <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-defense-perspective/2011-12-16/eads-and-alenia-cooperate-uas-development">signed an MoU to cooperate on UAS</a> last December. But “the German and Italian governments don’t have any money” to spend on UAS projects, a French aerospace industry official told AIN.


Meanwhile, a BAE Systems official told AIN at Farnborough that the Mantis is the only Male developed in Europe to have flown with a mission system. He discounted the work done by Alenia on the Sky-Y demonstrator. The Mantis demonstrator has been funded jointly by the company and the UK government. BAE is funding <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-defense-perspective/2012-06-22/mantis-return-air">a new series of flights in the UK</a> next year, at a cost of £5 million.


&nbsp;

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Europe Reaches a Crossroad in Male UAV Development

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

The ultra-long-range jet is on track to enter service this year

Bombardier's First Global 8000 In Final Assembly

Charles Alcock

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

Dijon Voltige took delivery of the first of the new two-seat trainers three months after it achieved type certification 

Aerobatics Club Receives First Aura Aero Integral R Trainer

Charlotte Bailey

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Aircraft manufacturers and operators insist the sector is making a positive difference 

Bizav Industry Sees Opportunity Despite Challenges in Europe

Kerry Lynch

Aircraft from Canada appear to be exempt; not so in most other areas

Bizav Industry Grapples with Ramifications of Global Tariffs

Chad Trautvetter

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Company’s next model will likely be hybrid-electric and based off of the TBM 960 or Kodiak 100/900

Daher Aims To Launch ‘More Electric’ Airplane in 2027

OEM saw a 28% increase from a year ago

Embraer First-quarter Bizjet Deliveries Rise from 2024

Hanneke Weitering

Tennessee Tech students will ground-test the ‘Whisper Ultralight’ powered glider

Whisper Aero and Tennessee Tech Team on Quiet Electric Glider

Matt Thurber

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

More In Aircraft