French Lawmakers Urge Faster UAV Spending

French legislators are warning that the country confronts a looming UAV shortfall unless funding and strategic decisions are undertaken in the coming months. The prospect is included in a report submitted by members of parliament Jean-Claude Viollet and Yves Vanderwalle. Paris has authorized the allocation of EUR524 mil ($790.6 mil) for UAVs. The breakdown allots EUR96 mil for MALE (Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance) UAV equipment and EUR428 mil for the tactical drones. Prospective contenders to fulfill the French MALE UAV requirement include EADS (Talarion or Advanced UAV); Dassault/Thales (SIDM -- Systeme Interimaire de Drone MALE); and BAE Systems (Mantis).