BAE Systems: Eurofighter consortium could move into UAVs

Posted on: May. 30th, 2006 || Source: flightglobal.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

BAE Systems believes the four-nation Eurofighter consortium could evolve to serve as the industrial vehicle for a European multirole unmanned air vehicle programme if emerging national requirements could be harmonised.

Nigel Whitehead, BAE Systems air systems group managing director, says that, while most European nations are still focusing on their own specific requirements, there is potential for common programmes. Therefore the potential use of the Eurofighter industrial structure as a means to meet shared requirements “hasn’t escaped our notice”.

Whitehead reveals that BAE is already sharing information on its Herti and Corax UAV demonstrator programmes with EADS Military Aircraft, which earlier this month unveiled its Barracuda low-observable modular UAV demonstrator. “We are party to what they are doing in the EADS team,” Whitehead says, with this in part occurring via Eurofighter consortium meetings: “We have shared briefs with respect to the technology demonstrations that have been going on within the two companies.”

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