The companies Elettronica, HENSOLDT, Indra and Thales signed a memorandum of agreement, in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, confirming their common goal to offer a coherent ISTAR functional chain for the MALE RPAS comprising all elements from sensors and computing through data processing and communications. The team is open to cooperation with other companies.

The four companies will bring their longstanding experience and technology leadership in defence electronics and mission systems into the joint approach, thereby substantially reducing the inherent risk of such challenging programme. This will safeguard the target-oriented implementation in time and cost while guaranteeing the growth potential required to address future tasks.

“The future operating environment of air forces will bring a variety of flying platforms into one force-multiplying network”, said CEO HENSOLDT Thomas Müller. “The close cooperation of the various platforms’ mission systems is paramount to leverage the advantage of such highly complex network. Therefore, the architecture of the new RPAS mission system must be in the hands of the subject-matter experts from the start, tailoring its development irrespective of single platform aspects.”

“Thales, HENSOLDT, Elettronica and Indra, have big ambitions based on a shared vision of the digital transformation of their industries and customers. Thales will be using its expertise in Defence Mission Systems mastering four key digital technologies of Connectivity, Big Data, AI, and Cyber-security. We offer our clients decisive technologies to take the best decision in real time.” said chairman and CEO Thales Patrice Caine.

“We are building industrial cooperation in Europe and preparing for a future in which defence investments will be mainly performed at European level. This alliance will pave the way for future large programmes currently being defined in Europe,” said executive director Indra Ignacio Mataix.

“Our long-term experience in collaboration programmes and our mindset will be beneficial in terms of risk reduction and full capability achievement. The teaming with our historical European partners will lead to a high level of success,” said chairman and CEO Elettronica Enzo Benigni.

The European MALE RPAS programme is managed by the European procurement agency OCCAR. A Definition Study contract was signed on 26 August 2016 with the European aircraft manufacturers Airbus Defence and Space, Dassault and Leonardo. The Development Phase is expected to be launched in 2019.

On the eve of the ILA Berlin Air Show 2018 on April 24, Airbus and Eurofighter GmbH have submitted their offer to the German ministry of defence for a replacement of the Bundeswehr’s ageing Tornado combat aircraft, which was developed in the Sixties, and have established the Eurofighter as its ideal successor.

Currently, the German Air Force is planning to phase out the Tornado from 2025 onwards and to transfer capabilities to another weapon system. As the Eurofighter system is already in use by Germany, this system could seamlessly adopt the capabilities of the Tornado aircraft. In addition, increased use of the same type of aircraft would result in considerable cost savings in terms of support services and training costs due to economies of scale, which would also reduce per-hour flying costs within the German Armed Forces.

“The Eurofighter is already the backbone of the German Air Force and is therefore the logical option to adopt the capabilities of the Tornado in the medium term,” said Head of Marketing & Sales at Airbus Defence and Space Bernhard Brenner. “We have an excellent aircraft, its production secures important aircraft construction know-how in Germany and, at the same time, strongly supports European sovereignty in defence. The successful continuation of Eurofighter production could also lead to further cooperation with other European nations such as Switzerland, Belgium and Finland.”