MICHAEL PHELAN / LONDON
Despite US dominance, when it comes to UAV applications Europe is pushing technology and breaking new ground with projects such as Sweden's Sharc and the UK's Watchmaker
While the USA remains at the forefront of UAV development, Europe is firmly establishing itself in second place. The combined European UAV market is expected by some observers to account for around 20% of the world total between now and 2007, making it by far the largest market outside the USA. Large projects such as the UK's Watchkeeper will set new standards in integrating UAVs into complex information systems, and in several countries UAVs are set to become an essential part of the air defence network as the decade progresses.
High-profile projects are under development at EADS, Saab and Sagem, to name but a few in the public domain, and the trend of international co-operation within Europe, and with manufacturers in Israel and the USA promises to ensure rapid and co-ordinated technology improvement.
In the UK's Watchkeeper programme four prime contractors - BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Thales - are bidding to supply the UK's future integrated intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance system. Each bidder is offering a primary LE UAV and a smaller short-range platform: BAE Systems the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator and AAI RQ-7 Shadow; Lockheed Martin the EADS Eagle and Meggitt Spectre 3; Northrop Grumman an upgraded version of the RQ-8A Fire Scout and the Swiss Aircraft and Systems Enterprise Ranger; and Thales the Silver Arrow Hermes 150 and 450.
The £500 million ($800 million) Watchkeeper system will supply intelligence at battle group, brigade and divisional level, and incorporate support systems to distribute and exploit the intelligence. Operational capability is set for the 2006-08 timeframe. The UK says it will also explore the possibility of arming its UAVs, but probably not until after Watchkeeper is deployed as planned.
It indicates the breadth of international co-operation within the major European programmes that the two largest EADS UAV projects are based on Israeli and US platforms.
EADS's Eagle MALE UAV is based on Israel Aircraft Industries' (IAI) Heron platform. The 1,150kg (2,530lb) surveillance and reconnaissance UAV is designed to stay aloft for 30h at an altitude of 25,000ft (7,600m), and includes systems such as automatic take-off and landing. Line-of-sight and laser-tracker back-up enable the aircraft to land on a different runway than originally planned. The 8.9m-long, 16.3m-span vehicle cruises at 125kt (230km/h) and can be fitted with multi-mode SARs, TV and IR sensors, laser designator and SIGINT payloads.
EADS is due to deliver the first of three Eagles to the French air force in September. They are to be equipped to fly in civilian airspace, says Agnès Ferragu, EADS marketing director for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. EADS is also developing a "see-and-avoid" system to detect air traffic.
Hot on the heels of the Eagle contract, and in further collaboration with IAI, EADS is also hoping to sell its upgrade of IAI's Hunter short-range platform to France. Four years ago, the French purchased a single Hunter from IAI for evaluation purposes. The improved Hunter will have greater payload capacity.
As well as the French contract, EADS demonstrated the Eagle's performance to Sweden last year, with the hope of eliciting further interest. Swedish Space Corporation used an Eagle to test a Swedish civil aviation administration transponder, carry out surveillance trials for the armed forces, and conduct atmospheric tests. Sweden's armed forces are to decide on acquiring the Eagle later this year.
EADS also plans to develop the Eagle 2, which will have twice the Eagle's payload capacity at 500kg, fly at 13,600m and have a cruise speed of 250kt. EADS's other large UAV project is Euro Hawk, which it is marketing with Northrop Grumman. It is a European specification version of the US firm's RQ-4A Global Hawk HALE platform.
German navy
The aircraft, which features EADS electronic intelligence systems, is initially being pitched at the German navy as a replacement for its Breguet Atlantic SIGINT aircraft. Global tests of potential Euro Hawk systems began late last year, and the two companies hope to fly a Hawk in Germany this year.
EADS has discussed collaboration with the Singapore defence ministry on the Euro Hawk programme, as Singapore seeks partners to develop its Lalee UAV. The Lalee LE machine is intended as a replacement for the country's airborne early warning Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeyes, which are due to operate until 2008.
In Singapore, the European manufacturer possesses a distinct advantage over its US partner/rival Northrop Grumman, whose own Global Hawk has not been granted export approval by the US government.
Meanwhile, EADS is trying to place its Eagle with the Australian Army, under its JP129 TUAV competition. EADS is competing against French rival Sagem, which is in partnership with Tenix Defence Systems, to offer the Sperwer TUAV.
Telecommunications equipment provider Sagem continues to market Sperwer successfully and, along with its Australian ambitions, is hoping Spain will choose the UAV within the next two years.
The vehicle has already been chosen by Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Sweden, and, after Sagem increased its 150km (80nm) effective operational radius to 200km, three of the vehicles went to Greece in the final quarter of last year.
Two upgraded versions, the Sperwer-LE and -high velocity, are intended to operate alongside the original Sperwer and use the same ground controllers, but fulfil different missions.
Almost twice the size of earlier Sperwers with its 6.5m-span, clipped delta wing, the Sperwer-LE is tailored for loitering, and has a 12h endurance at 20,000ft. Its payload capacity is 50kg, and it can accommodate high-magnification EO and IR payloads.
Sagem intends to offer armed versions of the Sperwer LE, and potential weapons will include Raytheon's Javelin shoulder-launched anti-armour weapon, modified by Sagem for UAV use, the Saab/Bofors Strix anti-armour missile and Bonus anti-armour round, and the TDA F2 unguided rocket.
The high velocity variant is turbojet-powered and fitted with a forward-swept wing and canard control surfaces. With a speed of 400kt, it is tailored for stealthy penetration under enemy defences, but is also capable of a 33,000ft maximum altitude. Mission radius is 400km with a 50kg payload.
Sagem is to join forces with French rival Dassault, which has centred UAV work on the Duc family of UCAVs. The family includes the 70kg Petic Duc and 500kg Moyen Duc.
The results of the collaboration are due for first flight this year. Elsewhere in France, defence procurement agency DGA has launched two separate projects in collaboration with research agency ONERA to develop tactical maritime UAVs.
One project envisages developing a UAV from a current manned helicopter by "replacing the pilot with a CD-ROM", says Pierre Grandclément, DGA's head of seaborne air systems, while the other requires a small VTOL UAV that can land on ships.
Other programmes looking to gain a foothold in the UAV market are Saab's Sharc (Swedish Highly Advanced Research Configuration) UCAV, and Meteor's Falco LE and Nibbio high-speed UAVs. Saab began flight testing aerodynamic properties and handling qualities on its small-scale 50kg Sharc versions last year. While Sharc's final configuration has yet to be decided, the UCAV is likely to be in the 5,000kg category, says Saab.
Meteor, a subsidiary of Italy's Galileo Avionica, unveiled its two designs at the Eurosatory defence show last June. The 70kg-payload piston-powered Falco is a medium-altitude TUAV with a 14h endurance, with payload options including EO sensors, SAR and electronic surveillance.
Its Nibbio vehicle is a Mach 0.85 development of the Mirach 100/5 target drone, and has the same payload capacity as the Falco but with the option of an IR linescan sensor in the nose.
European governments seem to have grasped the operational and logistical value of UAVs quickly, and are providing the indigenous industry with the momentum to keep up with technical and logistical developments in the USA.
Common requirements
In promoting its vision for the development of UAV operation in Europe, EADS is keen to advocate agreement of common UAV capability requirements across European defence forces. Because of the market size compared to the USA, it argues that a competitive industry cannot be established unless more than one customer is found for each product.
Initial steps towards this goal were taken in 2000 when letters of intent were signed by the defence ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK, with the aim of harmonising requirements.
Along with the level of joint development and manufacturing programmes in place among manufacturers, it seems that the UAV industry is in a mature phase of development, and that Europe's skies are scheduled for a radical overhaul.
Source: Flight International
