European MALE RPAS

The European Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS) is a twin-turboprop MALE UAV developed by Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo for Germany, France, Italy and Spain, to be introduced in 2025.

European MALE RPAS
Role Unmanned combat aerial vehicle
Manufacturer Airbus, Dassault Aviation, Leonardo
Introduction expected 2025[1]
Primary user Germany, France, Italy and Spain

Development

On 18 May 2015, France, Germany and Italy launched a European MALE RPAS study over two years, joined by Spain since, to define its operational capabilities, system requirements and preliminary design. In November 2015, the program management was assigned to the European defense procurement agency OCCAR, with European Defence Agency support for air traffic integration and certification. The definition study was to be contracted in the first half of 2016, the potential development and production aiming for a 2025 first delivery.[2]

A two-year definition study was launched in September 2016.[3] Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo unveiled a full-scale mockup at the April 2018 ILA Berlin Air Show.[4] On 31 October 2018, OCCAR invited Airbus Defence and Space to submit a tender for the program, to coordinate the major sub-contractors, Dassault and Leonardo. On 22 November, the System Preliminary Design Review was achieved, allowing the stakeholders to align their requirements and contract in 2019.[5]

In late May 2019, Airbus submitted its offer, but the contract signing may slip from 2019 to 2020. In the summer, the French Senate criticised the platform as "too heavy, too expensive and therefore, too difficult to export" due to "German specifications". First flight is scheduled for 2024, before first deliveries for 2027.[6]

Design

Missions targeted are long endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and ground support with precision-guided weapons.[2] The twin-turboprops are mounted in a pusher configuration behind the wing, similar to the smaller BAE Systems Mantis, and one-third larger than the MQ-9.[1]

The drone's dual engines were a demand of Germany, which intended to use the UAV for surveillance over domestic urban areas and was concerned that an engine failure in a single-engine drone could lead to the drone crashing into a house.[7] France, which intends to use the system over the Sahel, has been critical of its cost and weight. At 11,000 kg, it is over twice as heavy as an MQ-9 Reaper. A French politician overseeing the RPAS project, Christian Cambon, criticized it as suffering from "obesity."[7]

Specifications

Data from AeroNewsTV[8]

General characteristics

  • Capacity: 2,300 kg (5,070 lb) payload[6]
  • Length: 16 m (52 ft 6 in)
  • Wingspan: 26 m (85 ft 4 in)
  • Max takeoff weight: 11,000 kg (24,251 lb)

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 500 km/h (310 mph, 270 kn)
  • Service ceiling: 13,700 m (44,900 ft)

Armament

  • precision-guided weapons

Avionics

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See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References
  1. Tony Osborne (May 2, 2018). "Surveillance Drone Is A Test Of European Cooperation". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  2. "MALE RPAS Programme Management Authorisation Approved" (Press release). OCCAR. 1 December 2015.
  3. Chris Pocock (October 4, 2016). "Euro-MALE Unmanned System Study Is Finally Launched". AIN online.
  4. "Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo reaffirm their total commitment in the first fully European MALE programme" (Press release). 26 April 2018. Airbus, Dassault Aviation, Leonardo
  5. Airbus, Dassault Aviation, Leonardo (13 December 2018). "The European MALE RPAS Programme Successfully Passed The System Preliminary Design Review As Final Milestone Of The Programme Definition Study" (Press release).CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. Dominic Perry (20 Aug 2019). "European MALE UAV will not arrive until late 2020s: OCCAR". Flightglobal.
  7. Vincent Lamigeon (2 July 2019). "Le futur drone européen risque-t-il le crash définitif ?". Challenges.
  8. "Voici à quoi ressemblera le 1er drone MALE 100% européen". AeroNewsTV (in French). 30 April 2018.

Further reading

Official website

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