Spain greenlights Eurodrone program.

On January 25, the Spanish Council of Ministers has made budgetary approval for the EUROMALE RPAS (Eurodrone) program. The country officially joins its partners France, Germany, and Italy, which have already signed off on their involvement in developing the European UAV.

Follow Air Recognition on Google News at this link

Eurodrone (Picture source: Airbus)

The Eurodrone is designed to become one of the main pillars of any future combat air system, ready for real integration into civil airspace based on minimal restrictions and easy transportability thanks to its modular design. The design will offer multi-mission capabilities and significant growth potential, for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations. The requirements and specifications have been negotiated and aligned between the end users (Germany, Spain, France and Italy), the contracting authority (OCCAR) and the participating industrial partners (Dassault Aviation, Leonardo and Airbus Spain). The MALE RPAS will equip the French (12), Italian (15), Spanish (15) and German (21) armies.

The UAV is expected to begin active service in 2027 in Germany, and 2028 in France. It is intended to gradually replace foreign drones in service such as the Reaper and the Heron.

Eurodrone (Picture source: Airbus)