The pan-European programme to develop the 13-tonne Eurodrone heavy UAV appears to be heading toward a new scandal between Airbus and Dassault Aviation, representing Germany and France respectively in the project, and this after a falling-out between the same two companies already brought down another European programme, the sixth-generation FCAS fighter.
Over recent years, France has repeatedly signalled that the Eurodrone project holds little interest for it — too expensive, too slow, and no longer relevant. Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force Jérôme Bellanger even joked that it was a drone of yesterday that might become ours tomorrow.
What followed is where the story turns into a genuine drama. Several weeks ago it emerged that Dassault Aviation is demanding compensation from Airbus for lost returns on its investments.
As reported by Zone Militaire, Dassault Aviation CEO Éric Trappier complained that Airbus had effectively shown them the door and pushed them out of the programme. The irony is that roughly a year ago, Dassault did almost exactly the same to Airbus, when the French company’s chief publicly criticised its German partner within the FCAS collaboration, effectively telling the Germans to leave.
“It is simple. Airbus told us — get out. We disagree, and so we are discussing the reasons. I can no longer say what state the programme is in, because all bridges have been burned,” Trappier stated.
Airbus declined to comment on the statement, with Airbus Defence & Space CEO Michael Schöllhorn noting only that they always fulfil the terms of our contracts.
It is reasonable to expect the conflict between Dassault and Airbus within the Eurodrone programme to escalate further. Also notable is the fact that despite France’s repeated signals of disinterest in the drone, Paris has never officially withdrawn from the project.
It is worth noting that Eurodrone has been making very slow progress, with a first flight currently planned for no earlier than 2029. On one hand, the drone could serve as a powerful surveillance platform; on the other, it remains vulnerable to air defense systems.
Defense Express previously reported on whether Japan would be destroying russian and Chinese submarineswith a 13-tonne drone from Europe.
