The Dangers of European Cooperation

Eurofighter back at the start (Spain, Italy, Germany, France and UK)

FLA (France, Italy, UK, Spain and Germany)

2 examples of very painful cooperation in European Defence procurement.

The recent treaty between France and the UK seems to have left EADS out in the cold, to the extent that airframes will be developed by BAE and Dassault.

Whilst its not the first time that anglo-french cooperation has led to successful aircraft programmes, do you think its any less fraught with complication or are the 2 countries able to compromise enough to produce success in this brave new world?

My personal view with regard to Typhoon is that German re-unification and refinancing was in part to blame for the delays, however the initial development was equally confused by French priorities diverging from the other partners interests.

Whilst the desire to produce an anglo french UAV is clear, will they really come together over a UCAV and will that UCAV be delayed so as to fit into the Euro-canard replacement niche, or is that another area for potential co-operation?