European MALE RPAS
Role Unmanned combat aerial vehicle
Manufacturer Airbus, Dassault Aviation, Leonardo S.p.A.
First flight expected mid-2027[1]
Introduction expected 2028[2]
Primary users German Air Force

The European Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS), or Eurodrone, is a twin-turboprop MALE UAV under development by Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo for Germany, France, Italy and Spain, with a first flight expected by mid-2027.

Development

On 18 May 2015, France, Germany and Italy launched a European MALE RPAS study over two years, joined by Spain since, to define its operational capabilities, system requirements and preliminary design. In November 2015, the program management was assigned to the European defence procurement agency OCCAR, with European Defence Agency support for air traffic integration and certification. The definition study was to be contracted in the first half of 2016, the potential development and production then aiming for a 2025 first delivery.[3]

A two-year definition study was launched in September 2016.[4] Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo unveiled a full-scale mockup at the April 2018 ILA Berlin Air Show.[5] In October 2018, OCCAR invited Airbus Defence and Space to submit a tender for the program, to coordinate the major sub-contractors, Dassault and Leonardo. In November 2018, the System Preliminary Design Review was achieved, allowing the stakeholders to align their requirements and contract in 2019.[6]

In late May 2019, Airbus submitted its offer.[7] In the summer, the French Senate criticised the platform as "too heavy, too expensive and therefore, too difficult to export" due to "German specifications".[7] First flight was then scheduled for 2024, before first deliveries for 2027.[7]

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation industry, contract signing slipped to 2021, selecting the Airbus site at Manching for final assembly and ground testing.[2] The maiden flight was then scheduled for 2025, before first deliveries in 2028 of a contract for 60 drones.[2]

In February 2022, the development and production contract was approved.[8] The prototype first flight is expected by mid-2027.[1] In March 2022, Airbus Defence and Space confirmed the selection of the General Electric Catalyst turboprop over the Safran Ardiden 3TP.[8]

Design

Missions targeted are long endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and ground support with precision-guided weapons.[3] The twin-turboprops are mounted in a pusher configuration behind the wing, similar to the smaller BAE Systems Mantis, and one-third larger than the MQ-9.[9]

The drone's dual engines were a demand of Germany, which intended to use the UAV for surveillance over domestic urban areas and was concerned that an engine failure in a single-engine drone could lead to the drone crashing into a house.[10] France, which intends to use the system over conflict zones such as the Sahel, has been critical of its cost and weight. At 11,000 kg, it is over twice as heavy as an MQ-9 Reaper. A French politician overseeing the RPAS project, Christian Cambon, criticized it as suffering from "obesity."[10]

The dimensions of the Eurodrone

Operators

 France
 Germany
 Italy
 Spain

Specifications

Data from AeroNewsTV[11]

General characteristics

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 500 km/h (310 mph, 270 kn)
  • Endurance: 18-40h[1]
  • Service ceiling: 13,700 m (44,900 ft)

Armament

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Craig Hoyle (28 March 2022). "Catalyst's Eurodrone win a huge milestone for Europe, Avio Aero boss says". Flightglobal.
  2. 1 2 3 "Airbus prepares for 'Eurodrone' contract signing in early 2021". Defense News. 9 December 2020.
  3. 1 2 "MALE RPAS Programme Management Authorisation Approved" (Press release). OCCAR. 1 December 2015.
  4. ↑ Chris Pocock (October 4, 2016). "Euro-MALE Unmanned System Study Is Finally Launched". AIN online.
  5. ↑ "Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo reaffirm their total commitment in the first fully European MALE programme" (Press release). 26 April 2018. Airbus, Dassault Aviation, Leonardo
  6. ↑ "The European MALE RPAS programme successfully passed the System Preliminary Design Review as final milestone of the Programme Definition Study" (Press release). Munich: Airbus. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Dominic Perry (20 August 2019). "European MALE UAV will not arrive until late 2020s: OCCAR". FlightGlobal. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 Craig Hoyle (25 March 2022). "Avio Aero to supply Catalyst engines for Eurodrone fleet". Flightglobal.
  9. ↑ Tony Osborne (May 2, 2018). "Surveillance Drone Is A Test Of European Cooperation". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  10. 1 2 Vincent Lamigeon (2 July 2019). "Le futur drone européen risque-t-il le crash définitif ?". Challenges.
  11. ↑ "Voici à quoi ressemblera le 1er drone MALE 100% européen". AeroNewsTV (in French). 30 April 2018. Archived from the original on 14 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
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