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Tri-Nation 'Advanced UAV' Moves Ahead

France, Germany and Spain have reached a preliminary agreement on a risk-reduction study for a large unmanned aerial vehicle for intelligence, surveillance target acquisition and reconnaissance missions (ISTAR), the French government’s Délégation Générale pour l’Armement procurement office said June 22.

"France, Germany and Spain have finalized a technical arrangement in order to prepare in common a risk reduction phase for a UAV system called Advanced UAV to fulfill their respective operational needs in terms of a large ISTAR UAV," the DGA said in a statement.

France and Germany signed the agreement June 21 at the 47th Paris Air Show, and Spain is due to sign in July. full story

CV Could Be Weakest Link in JSF Program

The version of the F-35 Lightning II that the U.S. Navy wants for aircraft carrier use might turn out to be the problem child of the three variants in the nine-nation Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. full story

Nexter Package Aims to Cut High Training Costs

French land systems company Nexter Systems unveiled June 19 at the 47th Paris Air Show a software-based training package dubbed Generic Virtual Training. The product is aimed at defense clients and high-technology companies looking to reduce training costs on complex systems, Chief Executive Luc Vigneron said. full story