In search of a few good MALEs: Germany seeks Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance UAVs

摘要

Under pressure from allies in NATO's International Security Assistance Force, Germany upped its military commitment in Afghanistan in April 2007 by sending over six Tornado GR 1A aircraft. Since then, the jets have been flying ISR missions over Afghanistan. Although the Tornado is a welcome addition, German officials know it cannot compare with the sophisticated UAVs operated by the British and Americans. The plane does not deliver real-time imagery to troops. Its twin Zeiss film cameras take photographs that must be developed on the ground and then interpreted -- a process that can easily take 20 minutes. Envisioning the eventual phase out of the Tornado, the Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement in April announced it would buy five medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) drones on the international market, the most likely choices being the MQ-9 Reaper, produced by General Atomics, or the Heron TP, from Israel Aerospace Industries. The German procurement agency will decide on its preferred foreign vendor in December. In the meantime, the German government and the companies that stand to win the 61 million euro (dollar96 million) project, are keeping mum. However, UAV experts said German officials must weigh the impressive operational capabilities of Reaper against the possible strategic and political benefits of purchasing aircraft from an Israeli company.