Air Transport

^{By Pino Modola in Genoa}

Finmeccanica’s Alenia Aeronautica and Italian aerospace research centre CIRA have signed a three-year co-operation agreement to develop unmanned air vehicle control systems, mission management software and advanced materials and draw up joint technology development plans.

The main goal is to develop an increasingly autonomous decision-making capacity for all UAV mission phases, from take-off to landing. The agreement will see CIRA work on research and testing while Alenia focuses on applications and industrial aspects.

In the materials arena there will be a joint research and development programme involving airframe design for increased performance, reduced costs and extended life cycles.

The joint technology development plans will be aligned with CIRA’s national aerospace research programme and Alenia’s corporate technology plan.

The agreement could be extended for further three-year periods, and provides for technical staff and information exchange between the two parties.

Alenia is already working with CIRA in other fields, including civil aircraft programmes, where CIRA helped with Boeing 787-related acoustic research.

The Italian manufacturer is developing its own unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) technology demonstrator Sky-X, while also participating in the Dassault-led Neuron programme for a European UCAV demonstrator.