The French Air Force is to receive a fourth Harfang drone and a third ground control station as part of the système interimaire de drone MALE (SIDM) programme.

Under the €33.7m ($48m) contract, EADS will provide equipment to complement the air force’s first three aerial vehicles and two ground control stations.

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The air force will use the new aerial vehicle and ground control station to train operators and contribute to aviation security arrangements at national events.

The SIDM programme has been designed to provide surveillance, reconnaissance, target designation and laser illumination missions over hostile territory.

Equipped with satellite data link, the SIDM can cover a range of 1,000km in hostile theatres and transmit real-time information.

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Airforce Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Airforce Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.


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Discover how Virtualitics is transforming mission readiness with explainable AI, predictive maintenance, and data-driven decision intelligence across the U.S. Department of Defense through its AI-powered Integrated Readiness Optimization suite, for which it has won the Innovation and Business Expansion awards.

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