France Unveils Strategic Partnership for Airbus and Naval Group’s SDAM Initiative
On 17 June 2025, Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister for the Armed Forces, has ratified a strategic agreement with Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, and Marie-Laure Bourgeois, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Naval Group, concerning the procurement of uncrewed aerial vehicles for the Navy (Système de Drone Aérien pour la Marine – SDAM) and their incorporation onboard the French Navy’s frigates.
Every SDAM will be equipped with an Airbus VSR700 uncrewed aerial system (UAS), functioning alongside Naval Group’s Steeris® Mission System. Naval Group will also manage the implementation of the SDAMs onto French Navy frigates. The VSR700 is an adaptable system capable of operating in various environments, demonstrated by the armed scout variant showcased at the Paris Air Show. Resulting from 15 years of research & development endeavors, Steeris® MS presents a sea-tested solution tailored for naval combat system incorporation.
“This framework agreement represents a significant milestone for the VSR700 initiative,” stated Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “Alongside our allies, we have showcased the VSR700’s functionality at sea through multiple demonstrations, including one aboard a French Navy frigate,” he added.
“This signing reflects the collaboration achieved with our partners and highlights Naval Group’s proficiency in embedding all varieties of drones on surface vessels to enhance the operational performance of our client navies,” remarked Pierre Eric Pommellet, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group.
The framework agreement establishes the foundation for the participation of additional partner nations in the initiative. Various countries worldwide have been formally invited by the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) to join the program. Via a government-to-government contract, they can procure the VSR700 in a specification akin to the one chosen by the DGA for the French Navy.
The serial VSR700 to be supplied to the French Navy will be outfitted for Surveillance and Intelligence operations, akin to the VSR700 prototypes tested aboard the FREMM class frigate La Provence in October 2023. This configuration encompasses a radar, an electro-optical system, and an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver. The VSR700 has been engineered to autonomously take off and land from a naval vessel amidst turbulent sea conditions and within a congested electromagnetic environment while accommodating three sensors and flying for over eight hours.
