The United Kingdom and France have moved a step forward today in demonstrating their commitment to defence cooperation under the 2010 Lancaster House Treaty with the announcement that France will undertake operational assessments and trials of the Thales Watchkeeper system in 2012 and 2013 with a view to cooperating with the UK on Europe’s most advanced tactical UAS system. The announcement was made after a bilateral meeting in London between UK Secretary of State for Defence Rt. Hon Philip Hammond MP and French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Victor Chavez, Chief Executive of Thales UK, said: “The battle-winning operational edge that UAVs bring to operations is well understood and these systems are rightly a central pillar of UK-French defence collaboration. The announcement today that France will undertake trials of Watchkeeper demonstrates both nations commitment to cooperation on the battlefield and in the development of this strategically important sector.”

Pierre Eric Pommellet , SVP of Thales Defence Mission Systems added: “Collaboration offers perspectives for widespread benefit for both nations - shared support costs, joint development of enhancements to what is already one of the world’s most advanced tactical UAV systems, the ability to harness the capabilities and innovation of both British and French industry, and most importantly the provision of world leading intelligence capabilities for British and French Armed Forces. Joint technological, industrial and interoperability advances were at the heart of the Anglo-French Treaty, and today’s announcement demonstrates concrete progress towards those aims.

“The Treaty has also already delivered much more than cooperation on systems - the twinning of the British Royal Artillery 32nd Regiment and the French Artillery’s 61st Regiment, whose relationship will only be deepened by joint operation of Watchkeeper, are the embodiment of the human links which are being formed across the Channel.”

Victor Chavez emphasized: “Industrially, UAVs are central to the defence sector’s renewal over the next period, and there are huge opportunities for European companies to succeed in this growing market. Watchkeeper, as Europe’s largest UAS program, positions Thales as a leading company in the design, development and deployment of UAS systems.”

“We continue to work closely with the UK’s Ministry of Defence towards Watchkeeper’s operational deployment. Watchkeeper is currently undergoing field trials with the British Army. We have conducted more than 400 flight trials which have clearly demonstrated its utility as a highly capable intelligence gathering asset,” he added.