EADS Pushing Harfang as MALE Gapfiller

EADS Pushing Harfang as MALE Gapfiller:
EADS says it will push to remain the incumbent supplier of medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial systems in Europe, where efforts to develop a pan-European MALE vehicle remain in flux.
Speaking to reporters in Berlin, EADS Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer Marwan Lahoud said development of a European MALE UAV is a long-term effort and that the company's Harfang UAV could serve as a gap-filler for European armed forces in the meantime.
"The only fielded MALE in service coming from European manufacturers in a European armed force is our system," he said during an annual EADS press conference here. Harfang, based on the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron UAV, is currently in service with the French armed forces.