Franco-German Aerial Infrared Sensor Proposed

 

Photo: Northrop Grumman

Jul 15, 2011 By Robert Wall aerospace daily and defense report

LONDON — A French Senate report advocating missile defense is proposing France and Germany cooperate on the development of an unmanned aircraft-based infrared detection system.

France would contribute its infrared detector experience, with Germany providing the high-altitude unmanned aircraft. The German air force has planned flight trials of the Euro Hawk signals intelligence aircraft — a Global Hawk derivative — for next year, and is looking to buy wide-area surveillance Global Hawks toward the end of the decade (Aerospace DAILY, July 8).

The report suggests a cost sharing arrangement and leaves the door open for other countries to join.

French legislators are also trying to entice Germany and Italy to join in development of the Aster Block 2, an endo-atmospheric ballistic missile interceptor. The Senate’s ballistic missile defense report, issued July 11, argues that with the U.S. disengaging from the tri-national Medium Extended Air Defense System (Meads) program, Italy and Germany should look to France to cooperate on meeting the tactical missile defense need.

France would contribute the missile work through MBDA — not unlike the role the U.S. played on Meads — leaving other technology areas open for German and Italian companies.

France and Italy already have a relationship in this domain because of their joint work on the land-based SAMP/T air defense program and its naval counterpart, the Paams.