Germany’s version of the U.S. Air Force’s Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle recently completed a key flight, but the future of the program remains cloudy as German officials announced months ago plans to cancel the program.
The Euro Hawk drone flew for more than 25 continuous hours on Aug. 8 and reached altitudes greater than 58,000 feet, manufacturer Northrop Grumman [NOC] said yesterday. The flight took place out of Manching Air Base in southern Germany.
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| Euro Hawk at Manching Air Base, Germany. Photo by Northrop Grumman |
Northrop Grumman and partner Cassidian, a subsidiary of EADS, said the endurance of the flight set a record for an unrefueled unmanned system for its weight class.
The German Defense Ministry announced in May the scrapping of plans to buy four more of the aircraft beyond the one being used for testing. The high cost of certifying the aircraft for European Union airspace was cited as the reason for cancellation.
The issue has sparked political controversy ahead of Sept. 22 national elections, including accusations by the political opposition in parliament that the government waited too long to cancel the program and thereby wasted hundreds of millions of euros. Some have called for the resignation of Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere, who recently defended his actions, according to media reports of the Germany.
A special parliamentary committee convened to investigate the affair submitted its final report on Monday, according to multiple German media reports.
Northrop Grumman officials have said they are still in in talks with the German government meant to keep the program alive, and believe the aircraft can be affordably integrated into European airspace.