Dassault Aviation/EADS CASA, ATHENS: Today, Hellenic Aerospace Industry SA and Dassault Aviation have signed a cooperation agreement for the development of the Neuron unmanned combat aerial vehicle demonstrator as part of the consortium formed by France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Greece.
The largest aeronautics companies in Europe are taking part in this 6-year development scheme: the French company Dassault Aviation, the Swedish SAAB, the Italian firm Alenia, the Spanish CASA (EADS) and RUAG from Switzerland.
HAI's involvement in military development programs is in line with the Ministry of Defence's policy aimed at the Greek defence industry handling projects of high technological added value.
High technology will be the key feature of these projects and will define future developments in defence and aerospace.
Once the development work completed, HAI will have gained vital experience in design. This experience will then enable it to take part in other programs with similar demands in the future. Generally speaking, it is reinforcing its position as a reliable, modern design unit in the aeronautics industry.
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EADS CASA and Dassault Aviation Agree on Spanish Participation in the Neuron Programme
MADRID: EADS CASA and Dassault Aviation have signed today at Madrid the contract to establish the participation of the Spanish side of EADS within the Neuron programme.
Neuron is a technology demonstrator for an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle whose maiden flight is planned for 2010. This programme is led by Dassault Aviation and will include the participation of several European aeronautical industries. EADS and Dassault Aviation signed the first collaboration agreements for the development of UCAVs in June 2004.
With this contract EADS CASA keeps progressing in its strategy of being the reference company in Spain for National and International programmes related to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, supported by the important technological capabilities achieved with systems integration, communications and data link, complex carbon fibre structures, mission systems and ground stations developments, among others.
EADS CASA responsibilities and workshare of the Neuron programme will include some of these capabilities.
Negotiations of this contract have been conducted in firm coordination with the Spanish Ministry of Defence.
EADS Defence and Security Systems, with revenues of about EUR 5.4 billion in 2004 and roughly 24,000 employees across ten nations, forms the defence pole within EADS. It offers integrated systems solutions to the new challenges confronting armed forces and homeland security units. It is active in the areas of military aircraft, missile systems, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems with manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), battlefield management systems, defence electronics, sensors and avionics, and related services.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2004, the Group generated revenues of EUR 31.8 billion and employed a workforce of about 110,000.
