Germany and the USA have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to ensure that the German air force’s proposed Northrop Grumman/EADS RQ-4B Eurohawk signals intelligence (SIGINT) unmanned air vehicle retains commonality with US Air Force Global Hawk aircraft.
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| Germany is considering a five-aircraft, $450 million deal for Eurohawk |
The agreement paves the way for finalisation of technical assistance agreements between the two nations, which in turn, will allow formal acquisition contracts to proceed later this year pending German parliamentary approval.
The MoU facilitates operational co-operation between US and German Global Hawk/Eurohawk ground crews in the form of shared logistics support and ground stations. However, the arrangement excludes US pilots flying German aircraft and vice versa, and access to each other’s mission data.
Stefan Zoller, chief executive of EADS Defence & Security Systems, says the MoU is the “result of six years of close transatlantic co-operation”. He adds: “It’s an example of a successful transatlantic partnership which will provide the German air force not only with an integrated solution to meet their reconnaissance needs, but also gives them the means to control their own intelligence.”
The Eurohawk joint venture between Northrop Grumman and EADS this year presented fresh proposals to the German defence ministry for an expected five-aircraft, €350 million ($450 million) deal. The ministry is expected to pass the proposals to the German government for initial approval mid-year, with final review by the defence subcommittee of the parliamentary budget committee expected by September.
A contract signature for a single system, comprising one air vehicle, a single ground station and the EADS SIGINT mission system, could be in place later this year.
While the German order will be a commercial contract signed by the defence ministry and Eurohawk, the air vehicle sale will be handled as a US foreign military sales deal.
Initial operational capability is planned for 2010 to replace air force Breguet Atlantics currently used as sigint platforms.
Source: Flight International
