On 30 November, the chief Eurodrone engineer for Airbus Defence and Space announced that the launching of the Eurodrone construction was imminent as the project was only missing Spain’s signature. Enshrined in PESCO projects, the appellation “Eurodrone” refers to Europe’s premier unmanned aerial system programme, a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) remotely piloted aircraft system. The Eurodrone project was initiated by four partner nations (Germany, France, Italy and Spain) which are represented by Airbus Germany, the prime contractor, Airbus Spain, France’s Dassault Aviation, and Italy’s Leonardo under the supervision of the international armaments agency OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en Matière d’Armement – Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation). Based on a strict division of labour, the four industry partners will be in charge of developing different components and systems of the aircraft. The Eurodrone is a twin-engine with two versions: an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) version and a battlefield version. The partner nations have ordered 20 systems composed of two ground stations and three aircraft to ensure non-stop operation, with one drone in the air, one in maintenance, and one ready to take off. The aircraft is also designed to fit civil air integration thanks to its higher safety standards and easy transportability.
This project is a step further in European defence, which slowly but progressively tends towards sovereign European military capabilities. The Eurodrone will wean off the EU Member States’ reliance on the US and Israeli UAVs based on independence and autonomy. More importantly, this aircraft will be the only UAV able to fly above the whole unsegregated EU airspace. Entirely relying on European industries, the Eurodrone programme will help the EU develop an independent technological base in the field of unmanned aviation. The division of work between the partner industries implies that the partner nations manage the entire development, procurement, and operation processes, thus reducing costs and increasing efficiency. This project is also expected to create 7,000 jobs in the partner nations’ job market.
The final signature of the formal contract was already expected in early 2021 but was delayed. Although it is expected to be finalised within a few months, there is no precise deadline yet. Once the formal contract is signed, more EU nations are expected to join the project. The first flight is scheduled for 2026, followed by the delivery of the first Eurodrone in 2029.
