Drone scandal costs another €200 million
Germany’s Euro Hawk drone scandal showed no sign of ending on Wednesday, with alternatives for the failed programme running €200 million over budget. It means the military may turn back to the discarded, original plan.
P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }A:link { } The Chief of Staff of the Bundeswehr, Volker Wieker, told a defence committee on Wednesday that the tests on four alternatives to Euro Hawk were not only taking longer than expected but were €200 million over budget. The budget had been set at €613 million.
It means that reactivating the discarded Euro Hawk programme could no longer be ruled out, he said.
The Euro Hawk scandal erupted in May last year when it emerged the drones were unlikely to get permission to fly in German airspace because of a lack of an anti-collision system to protect other aircraft. By that point more than €500 million had already been spent on the programme.
The then defence minister, Thomas de Maizière, stopped the Euro Hawk project in May 2013, but the problems continue for the country’s new defence minister Ursula von der Leyen.
The scandal has already cost the tax payer €600 million. It is still unclear whether an alternative can be found with the four other options to Euro Hawk all deemed too expensive.
Comments
See Also
The Chief of Staff of the Bundeswehr, Volker Wieker, told a defence committee on Wednesday that the tests on four alternatives to Euro Hawk were not only taking longer than expected but were €200 million over budget. The budget had been set at €613 million.
It means that reactivating the discarded Euro Hawk programme could no longer be ruled out, he said.
The Euro Hawk scandal erupted in May last year when it emerged the drones were unlikely to get permission to fly in German airspace because of a lack of an anti-collision system to protect other aircraft. By that point more than €500 million had already been spent on the programme.
The then defence minister, Thomas de Maizière, stopped the Euro Hawk project in May 2013, but the problems continue for the country’s new defence minister Ursula von der Leyen.
The scandal has already cost the tax payer €600 million. It is still unclear whether an alternative can be found with the four other options to Euro Hawk all deemed too expensive.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.