France commissions stratobus platform study
Thales Alenia Space and Thales have signed a contract with the French defence procurement agency, DGA, to carry out a concept study for the use of Stratobus type platforms for French Army ISR applications.
The aim of the contract is to study the benefits of continuous stratospheric platforms to improve and expand France’s defence capabilities.
Together, the companies will undertake an operational concept study for an ISR mission including exercises simulating its use in theatres of operation; and develop a full-scale demonstrator concept, capable of flying in the stratosphere to demonstrate the in-flight performance of an ISR mission of this type.
Stratobus platforms offer the ability to significantly increase the area monitored by a single platform, and eliminate terrain masking; and with their ability to loiter over an area for longer periods they can improve resilience in relation to current naval, airborne, ground and space solutions.
Jean-Philippe Chessel, director of the Stratobus product line, said: ‘The aim of this contract is to assess the relevance of Stratobus type continuous stratospheric solutions to meet defence needs, and also marks a major step forward in the definition of a possible operational solution in conjunction with users.
‘It will enable us to prepare the foundations for the development of a complete solution, including high-reliability autonomous avionics, as well as all control aspects. We are aiming to carry out a flight demonstration by the end of 2023.’
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
Reamda upgrades Grasshopper UGV observation mast
Reamda, an Irish engineering company with a focus on UGVs and defence applications, delivered its Riddler platformed to the Irish Defence Forces last year.
-
Roke unveils new CUAS solution
The Roke Agile CUAS has been designed to provide protection for military and civilian situations, as well as to handle swarms of UAS by using a range of sensors.
-
Russia reaches new monthly record for Lancet use in Ukraine
The aggressor’s armed forces have adapted Lancet to Ukrainian conditions via iterative developments accompanied by a significant expansion in production capacity
-
India’s pursuit of UAVs fuels domestic innovation and industrial growth
In response to escalating border tensions and the need for enhanced surveillance capabilities, the Indian Army is ramping up its drone acquisitions, reflecting the growing importance of unmanned systems in modern defence strategies.
-
Australia to adopt new predatory OWL species
The Australian Defence Force will introduce the One-Way Loitering (OWL) platform by Innovaero, the country’s first long-range loitering munition, to enhance strike capabilities and understanding of loitering munitions.
-
Dedrone’s latest uncrewed solutions offers “complete CUAS DTI-M kill chain”
DedroneOnTheMove, which integrates advanced sensor-fusion and mitigation technologies, was showcased at Eurosatory 2024 and has been designed for deployment to enhance airspace security in high-risk environments.