19. October 2016

New office for the MALE RPAS Programme Division opened

The new office for the OCCAR MALE RPAS Programme Division in Munich/Hallbergmoos was officially opened on 19 October 2016 by the OCCAR Director, Mr. Tim Rowntree. Beside the OCCAR-EA team, the event involved the members of the MALE RPAS Programme Board from Germany, France, Italy and Spain as well as the MALE RPAS industrial partners from Airbus Defence & Space GmbH, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo S.p.a. and the European Defence Agency (EDA). This ceremony was the first high level meeting of all MALE RPAS stakeholders after the contract award.

OCCAR Director Tim Rowntree opening the office

OCCAR Director Tim Rowntree said at the opening event: “With the MALE RPAS Definition Study Phase we now have the opportunity to develop an armament programme of strategic importance for Europe in a fast moving technological area for Defence. I wish our Programme Division the very best of good fortune here in Hallbergmoos. I know that they will make this programme a great success.”

The MALE RPAS Programme was launched with a Definition Phase in August 2016. OCCAR manages the programme on behalf of France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The three companies Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo S.p.a. are working together as co-contractors to perform the Definition Study. The Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS) will be operated worldwide to especially perform ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) missions.

The OCCAR MALE RPAS Programme Division moved from the OCCAR headquarters in Bonn to the office in Hallbergmoos in early October 2016. The new location in Hallbergmoos ensures shorts ways to the MALE RPAS industrial partners and provides modern infrastructure. Hallbergmoos increases the number of OCCAR sites to seven: Bonn, Paris, Toulouse, Seville, Rome, La Spezia and Hallbergmoos.