Airbus Defence and Space, a division of the Europe-based global major aerospace group Airbus, announced on Friday that it had selected Italian company Avio Aero to supply its Catalyst engines and propellors for the Eurodrone remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS). The Eurodrone aircraft will be a twin-engine medium altitude long endurance (MALE) uncrewed air vehicle, being developed for France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Airbus Defence and Space in Germany was the prime contractor for the programme, with the main subcontractors being Airbus Defence and Space in Spain, Dassault Aviation in France and the Leonardo group in Italy. The programme was being managed, on behalf of the client countries, by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (Occar), and was being partly funded by the European Union (EU). (Occar is not an agency of the EU.)

“This selection is a decisive step forward and will ensure that the Eurodrone programme can proceed on time, on cost and in line with the specifications laid out by our customers,” affirmed Airbus Defence and Space Military Aircraft head Jean-Brice Dumont. “The Catalyst was identified as the best solution based on superior performance, lower developmental risk, better in-service economics as well as growth potential. In line with customer requirements, Catalyst will offer a truly European solution and will thus contribute to the overall role of Eurodrone as an enabler of strategic autonomy.”

Like all other elements in the Eurodrone programme, the Avio Aero Catalyst integrated engine and propellor system contains absolutely no components or systems that are subject to the US International Traffic in Arms Regulation rules. This will make it easier to export the RPAS.  

The Eurodrone will be an ‘Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance’ asset. It is not yet clear if there is any intent to arm the aircraft; that decision might be taken separately by the different customer countries. The programme was launched in 2016 and manufacture of the prototype is scheduled to start in 2024. Currently, the plan is for the customers to acquire 20 of the RPAS (plus the associated ground systems) as well as more than five years of initial in-service support.