STEWART PENNEY / ABU DHABI
EADS is confident that two key deals with the United Arab Emirates will continue despite delays in signing key contracts.
UAE and EADS plans for a further deal to continue joint development of the Mako advanced trainer/light strike aircraft did not come to fruition as planned at the Dubai air show in November 2001, while the UAE's selection of the EADS Casa C295 Persuader maritime patrol aircraft at IDEX two years ago has not been firmed up.
Speaking at the IDEX 2003 show in Abu Dhabi last week, EADS senior vice-president Middle East Bertrand de Fontvielle said of the C295 deal: "It just needs signing. There is no problem with the contract."
Unlike two years ago, EADS did not send its C295 Persuader demonstrator to IDEX, nor send its Persuader/Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS) marketing team. FITS is a mission system offered on a variety of platforms.
The UAE would be the launch customer for Persuader. It signalled an intent to acquire four aircraft valued at 515 million dirham ($140 million) in 2001.
EADS was competing against the Embraer EMB-145MP, ATR 72ASW and Thales's Airborne Maritime Situation Control System on a Bombardier Dash 8, which had previously been selected but fitted to IPTN-built CN235Ms.
Sources at the competing companies say they are continuing discussions with the UAE.
De Fontvielle says EADS needs European support for the Mako before the programme moves forward. EADS and the UAE signed a wide-ranging agreement at IDEX 2001, intending to sign a commitment to build two demonstrators by the Dubai show later that year.
Despite the lack of agreement to build the first aircraft, the pair did sign risk-sharing deals with potential systems suppliers at Dubai.
Source: Flight International
