Germany has widened its Agile networked unmanned air vehicle demonstration programme to include a combination of aircraft types, potentially opening the way for other developmental European UAVs, such as BAE Systems' Herti and Alenia Aeronautica's Sky-X, to take part.
The German defence ministry had sought wider European participation when Agile was launched in late 2005, based on using the EADS Barracuda UAV demonstrator as its primary flight platform. However, the aircraft was destroyed in a crash off the coast of Spain last September.
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Alexander Dudde, research leader for aircraft and radar systems in the German defence ministry's armaments directorate, says talks are again under way on multinational participation, including options for multiple aircraft types.
Speaking at last month's Unmanned Vehicle Systems International UAV 2007 conference in Paris, he said: "Different UAVs can be part of our systems demonstrator, and our systems demonstrator can be used as a flying testbed. At the same time it will be possible to define, test and demonstrate UAV concepts of operations, leading maybe to future development efforts."
Two concept definition phases for the demonstration effort have been carried so far. The original project schedule had sought to engage co-operation partners by late 2006 and begin initial simulation experiments this year. The current schedule will see co-operation talks continue until October, alongside final definition of mission sets to be explored. Simulation of networked missions will run through 2008, with a flight demonstration based on a tactical deep penetration mission slated for 2009, followed by a sensor-to-shooter demonstration.
"We are not concentrating on unmanned platforms," said Dudde. "It is a holistic, integrated approach with different elements like existing research and technology projects, simulations including hardware and man in the loop, static demonstrators, and available platforms."
Dudde said the revised programme could also involve simulation of the Dassault-led Neuron unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator, which is not scheduled to fly until 2011, or a manned weapons platform, but talks have yet to take place.
Meanwhile, discussions are continuing with the European Defence Agency on the option of Agile forming the basis of a common European research and technology flagship initiative. Dudde said the German defence ministry was also monitoring the UK's BAE-led Taranis UCAV demonstrator and ongoing work on advanced UAVs by Saab for possible linkage opportunities.
Source: Flight International
