Eurodrone program brings new EU subsidies

MILAN — The European Commission is poised to give the Eurodrones program a jolt by injecting a second round of funding to enable the development of new capabilities.

On March 15, the European Commission, which is responsible for promoting cooperation among EU member states and promoting the integration of defense forces, published its 2024 report. ask for suggestions.

Of the 30 different project requests outlined in this document, one stands out as having the largest budget available. It is the development of a fully European medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft system.

According to a European Commission representative, 100 million euros ($108 million) has been allocated for the request, which specifically relates to the ongoing Eurodrone program.

“The Commission does not plan to support the development of another European MALE drone. “The aim is to develop,” the commission said. a spokesperson told Defense News.

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According to the document, the main purpose of introducing the European-made MALE RPAS is to move away from foreign suppliers for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

“Today, most of Member States’ ISR capabilities rely on non-EU manufacturers to fulfill their missions…The development of a fully European MALE RPAS is key to reducing dependence on non-EU solutions.” The document states:

The Eurodrone program, which began in 2015, received $107 million in funding from the EU-run European Defense Industry Development Program in 2021.

The initiative involves four governments: Italy, Spain, Germany and France, and three contractors: Leonardo, Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defense and Space.

According to recent information, report Eurodrone program announced by the German Ministry of Defense will experience several setbacks in 2023, potentially delaying key deliverables

One such milestone, a preliminary design review, was originally scheduled to take place last September, but is still under consideration due to coordination issues between Airbus and Dassault, the document said. ing. The delay could impact a subsequent critical design review of the platform, scheduled for September 2024, a necessary step before companies can begin building their first drones.

It remains to be seen whether the first flight of the European MALE drone will take place as planned in January 2027.