IAI's Drone Deal with Germany Cleared by German Court
The higher court in Duesseldorf dismisses General Atomics' suit over the Heron drone order, clearing the way for the drone program to go ahead
IsraelDefense | 1/06/2017
Send to a friend
A+A-Size
Share on
Share on
IAI's Heron 1 UAV
A German court on Wednesday dismissed a legal challenge from US weapons maker General Atomics to Germany's plans to lease armed drones from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), clearing the way for the drone program to go ahead.
Early last year, Germany announced it would lease Heron TP drones for about 580 million euros ($652 million) instead of buying Predator B drones from General Atomics or Switzerland's RUAG, prompting protests by both firms. General Atomics took its fight to Germany's anti-trust regulator and then to court.
The higher court in Duesseldorf that dismissed the complaint on Wednesday was the final arbiter in the case. Judge Heinz-Peter Dicks said the ruling was effective immediately and meant that Germany can now procure drones as it had planned.
The drone leasing plan has been intended as an interim measure until the EU has developed its own drone. Germany, France, Italy and Spain plan to jointly develop a drone by 2025.
http://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/29831
The higher court in Duesseldorf dismisses General Atomics' suit over the Heron drone order, clearing the way for the drone program to go ahead
IsraelDefense | 1/06/2017
Send to a friend
A+A-Size
Share on
Share on
IAI's Heron 1 UAV
A German court on Wednesday dismissed a legal challenge from US weapons maker General Atomics to Germany's plans to lease armed drones from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), clearing the way for the drone program to go ahead.
Early last year, Germany announced it would lease Heron TP drones for about 580 million euros ($652 million) instead of buying Predator B drones from General Atomics or Switzerland's RUAG, prompting protests by both firms. General Atomics took its fight to Germany's anti-trust regulator and then to court.
The higher court in Duesseldorf that dismissed the complaint on Wednesday was the final arbiter in the case. Judge Heinz-Peter Dicks said the ruling was effective immediately and meant that Germany can now procure drones as it had planned.
The drone leasing plan has been intended as an interim measure until the EU has developed its own drone. Germany, France, Italy and Spain plan to jointly develop a drone by 2025.
http://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/29831
