Germany abandons its Euro Hawk
(B2) Berlin has thrown in the towel. After dithering, the government abandoned the unmanned aircraft project, Euro hawk, led by EADS and Northrop Grumman.
Official explanation given by the Minister of Defense, Thomas de Maizière: the costs have already reached 600 million euros and 500 million euros are still necessary to reach a level of maturity. The problem is the insertion in the European sky. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) did not approve the machine because of the defect in the anti-collision system.
We can have some doubt about this explanation. This subject has been on the table within the European Defense Agency for several months, the implications of the new air standards for the military sector, and for several years, the military have been asking themselves the question.
The case caused a scandal across the Rhine. Because the government seems to have carried out the affair despite common sense, suddenly stopping the program. As my colleague, Thomas Wiegold, from Augengeradenaus, which closely follows this, the government still spent, in 2012, around 100 million euros (70,08 million € for the development of the system and 30,18 million € for the purchase). And the last report of the Bundeswehr, however published on May 8, still referred to it.
(NGV)
