On September 17th, 2020, the Defence Ministers of Germany and France, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Florence Parly, visited Airbus’ facilities in Manching, the largest military aviation development hub in Europe. This historic joint visit underscores the importance of collaborative European defence initiatives.
During this significant meeting, Ministers Kramp-Karrenbauer and Parly engaged with key executives from Airbus, including CEO Guillaume Faury and Airbus Defence and Space CEO Dirk Hoke. Local policymakers also participated in the discussions, highlighting the strategic importance of the site, which employs around 5,600 Airbus personnel from 43 different nationalities, along with about 1,000 members of the German armed forces.
The Ministers emphasized the necessity of advancing essential European defence programs, particularly the development of unmanned aerial vehicles like the Euro MALE RPAS—also popularly known as EuroDrone—and the ambitious Future Combat Air System (FCAS).
Led by Airbus, a European consortium that includes partners like Dassault Aviation and Leonardo, the EuroDrone project aims to create a new drone system for France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. This initiative is poised to enhance Europe’s operational capabilities in unmanned aerial surveillance.
Initiated in 2017 by the governments of France and Germany, the FCAS program aims to revolutionize airpower by integrating manned and unmanned platforms into a cohesive System of Systems, with goals set for operational readiness by 2040. Spain’s involvement makes FCAS a truly pan-European project.
Dassault Aviation and Airbus are at the forefront of FCAS initiatives, collaborating with other critical partners. Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Joint Concept Study, which began in 2019, along with the Demonstrator Phase 1A, is moving forward as planned.
Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, stated, “The visit by the French and German Defence Ministers to Manching sends a strong message about the significance of a robust and capable European defence industry. This site represents a center of excellence for German military aviation, and we are proud to showcase our multinational programs like the EuroDrone and FCAS today.”
In addition to ongoing projects, the Ministers explored Airbus’ cutting-edge engineering capabilities, including the Low Observable UAV Testbed (LOUT), a groundbreaking research initiative funded by the German Ministry of Defence. Low observability will play a crucial role in the Future Combat Air System’s development.
Policymakers commended the high-profile visit to one of Bavaria’s leading industrial sites: “Manching exemplifies what Europe can achieve in defense when we unite our efforts. We take pride in the collaborative spirit here, where professionals from Germany, France, Spain, Britain, and beyond work collaboratively. The future of European defense and high-tech hubs like Manching relies heavily on programs like FCAS and EuroDrone. It is vital that we support and advance these initiatives cohesively,” remarked Reinhard Brandl, a member of the Bundestag’s budget committee.
