Germany Set to Sign €1B UAV Deal with IAI
The German Defense Ministry is expected to finalize a deal to lease five Heron TP unmanned aerial vehicles from Israel Aerospace Industries after the deal was frozen last summer
IsraelDefense
| 09/04/2018
IAI's Heron TP (Photo: AP)
The German Ministry of Defense is looking to revive the UAV deal with IAI, after the Budget Committee in the German Parliament decided to postpone the acquisition in June 2017, Defense World reported on Monday.
The defense ministry led by Ursula von der Leyen is expected within days or weeks to forward a €25 million ($30.7 million) placeholder petition to the defense and appropriations committees for a roughly €1 billion program to lease five Heron-TP UAVs from Israel.
The contract "is likely to be signed in the coming weeks," German parliament member Fritz Felgentreu, responsible for defense affairs in the German Social Democratic Party, told Globes.
Sources in Berlin told Defense News that the German Ministry of Defense's request for approval of the UAV deal could be approved soon. Government sources who favor the deal are stressing the argument that Germany's friendship with Israel should guide the decision-making process, and this consideration carries weight in the Bundestag.
Under the program, the UAVs will be stationed in Israel under the management of the military wing of Airbus, at least in the first stage. The UAVs are initially designated for intelligence missions, such as aerial photography and surveillance of enemy forces. At a later stage, they are also likely to be used to attack ground targets.
The UAVs are due to become available to the German army starting at the end of 2019.
Meanwhile, the US State Department has approved Germany’s request to buy four Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton unmanned maritime surveillance aircraft. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency's announcement, the full package, including a ground control station, spares, and support, is worth $2.5 billion.
The German Defense Ministry is expected to finalize a deal to lease five Heron TP unmanned aerial vehicles from Israel Aerospace Industries after the deal was frozen last summer
IAI's Heron TP (Photo: AP)
The German Ministry of Defense is looking to revive the UAV deal with IAI, after the Budget Committee in the German Parliament decided to postpone the acquisition in June 2017, Defense World reported on Monday.
The defense ministry led by Ursula von der Leyen is expected within days or weeks to forward a €25 million ($30.7 million) placeholder petition to the defense and appropriations committees for a roughly €1 billion program to lease five Heron-TP UAVs from Israel.
The contract "is likely to be signed in the coming weeks," German parliament member Fritz Felgentreu, responsible for defense affairs in the German Social Democratic Party, told Globes.
Sources in Berlin told Defense News that the German Ministry of Defense's request for approval of the UAV deal could be approved soon. Government sources who favor the deal are stressing the argument that Germany's friendship with Israel should guide the decision-making process, and this consideration carries weight in the Bundestag.
Under the program, the UAVs will be stationed in Israel under the management of the military wing of Airbus, at least in the first stage. The UAVs are initially designated for intelligence missions, such as aerial photography and surveillance of enemy forces. At a later stage, they are also likely to be used to attack ground targets.
The UAVs are due to become available to the German army starting at the end of 2019.
Meanwhile, the US State Department has approved Germany’s request to buy four Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton unmanned maritime surveillance aircraft. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency's announcement, the full package, including a ground control station, spares, and support, is worth $2.5 billion.
