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Aviation News Item: 04119
19th Jan 2010
EADS: No funds, no drone project
Source: kansas.com
PARIS - Defense group EADS on Monday said that it may freeze its drone project if European governments don't commit funds.
In an interview with Financial Times Deutschland, Stefan Zoller, head of EADS's defense and security division, said that if Germany, France and Spain don't place firm orders by summer, the Talarion unmanned air vehicle project could be put on hold.
His comments come as EADS faces a funding standoff with the same nations over its delayed military plane project.
Spokeswoman Annette Fuellenbach said Zoller was not threatening an ultimatum and EADS remains "fully committed to the Talarion project."
However, she noted that "if we do not get a customer commitment for financing we nevertheless have to freeze the project after the preliminary design review due to the fact that we need customer requirements to go further."
EADS has "invested and pre-financed heavily in this project," spending $144 million, she said. The total cost is estimated at $2.2 billion.
EADS unveiled its Talarion unmanned air vehicle at the Paris air show last June. The name derives from the winged sandals of Hermes in the Greek mythology.
Airbus and its parent company, EADS, are already in a funding standoff with European governments over their A400M military plane.
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