Defence

Israel Aerospace Industries' Heron TP unmanned air vehicle will compete against the General Atomics Predator B to meet a German surveillance requirement, after the nation's BWB armaments agency requested the two companies to submit proposals for five medium-altitude, long-endurance systems.

To select a MALE system to operate in conjunction with the German air force's future fleet of five Northrop Grumman/EADS Eurohawk high-altitude, long-endurance signals intelligence aircraft, the competition will pit the Heron TP against the Predator B already being offered under a collaborative agreement between General Atomics and Germany's Diehl BGT Defence.

Growing international demand for MALE UAV systems has prompted EADS and IAI to discuss possible co-production of the turboprop-powered Heron TP. The companies already co-operate on the Heron 1 air vehicle, with the French army having acquired five systems.

European firms Dassault, Indra and Thales have meanwhile also announced a fresh co-operation agreement, under which they are offering to supply Heron TP systems to meet the surveillance requirements of the French and Spanish defence ministries. Citing a "pragmatic and competitive offer" tabled on 22 May, the companies say first operational systems could be delivered by late 2012.