“…In presence of the main MALE RPAS industrial partners (Leonardo S.p.a, Airbus Defence & Space SAU and Dassault Aviation), the OCCAR-EA Director and a senior representative from Airbus Defence & Space GmbH (coordinating company) signed the Grant Agreement to allow European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) funding from the European Union to partially finance the MEDIUM ALTITUDE LONG ENDURANCE REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM (MALE RPAS) programme (aka EURODRONE).The EURODRONE is one of the two European cooperative programmes identified by the European Commission (EC) for direct awards co-funded by the EDIDP. This is an important step in the deepening of the European defence cooperation. OCCAR is supporting the EC in the management of the EDIDP, a capability test phase of the European Defence Fund (EDF), aiming at promoting defence cooperation among companies and between EU countries to foster innovation and develop state-of-the-art defence technology and products…”