British and French defence companies will carry out a two-year study on building armed UAS for their countries’ military, according to an agreement to be signed Jan. 31. The memorandum of understanding to develop a Predator-type UAS is one of several that will be signed at a French-British summit at Brize Norton airbase near Oxford in southern England, French officials said.
The other military ventures, the first projects to come out the 2010 Lancaster House accords on greater cooperation between Europe’s top two military powers, include an anti-ship missile and underwater mine detectors. This week’s summit will be an opportunity to make further progress, Cameron’s office said.
European defence companies have lagged their U.S. and Israeli counterparts in building unmanned aircraft systems, and France has bought General Atomics Predators for its year-old military operation in Mali. Britain also uses Predators.
Last month, all 28 countries in the European Union agreed to cooperate on building surveillance UAS to enter service after 2020.
BAE Systems Plc (BA/), Europe’s biggest defense company, is already working with Dassault Aviation SA (AM), the maker of French Rafale fighter jets, on drone development.
The summit, which will be attended by Cameron and French President Francois Hollande and their foreign, defence, and energy ministers, will also discuss Syria and Mali, the officials said.