|
There should be one lead nation and one lead company on
individual military projects, with suppliers chosen on merit,
Enders told the Financial Times in an interview.
Italy, France and Germany agreed in May to develop a European
drone program for reconnaissance and surveillance, seeking to
inject momentum into a proposal first considered in 2013 to
reduce reliance on U.S. and Israeli technology.
"Pooling our requirements should be done intelligently and not
in a highly politicized, nationally fragmented way," said
Enders, adding that he supported European co-operation.
"This is something I will look for to be employed on this
(surveillance drone) project. I would not be shy to opt out of
projects if I get the impression that this would be . . . a
recipe for disaster."
The countries pledged a two-year study to lay the basis for a
European drone to be operating by 2025.
Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Finmeccanica are likely to develop
the drones.
(Reporting by Leila Abboud; Editing by Jane Merriman)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
