Lockheed Martin is urging its European MEADS International partners, Alenia Marconi Systems and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, to ensure parliamentary approval is given for the Medium Extended Air Defence System (MEADS) before summer recesses in Germany and Italy.
A major hurdle was cleared earlier this month when Germany and the USA resolved a dispute on the sale of Lockheed Martin Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) (Flight International, 30 May-5 June) - the MEADS interceptor.
Lockheed Martin director international programme development Neil Hayward says it is important that Berlin and Rome give approval before the summer break so that a memorandum of understanding for a three-year risk reduction phase can be signed.
Hayward warns that despite the modest amounts of money involved, the resulting delay would make it difficult to keep the development team together.
Source: Flight International