NATO finds funds for ground surveillance system
- By Defense Systems Staff
- Feb 06, 2012
NATO has found a funding solution for its Alliance Ground Surveillance system intended to help its member nations deploy joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets, reports Nicholas Fiorenza at Aviation Week’s Ares blog.
Thirteen members of NATO, including the United States, Germany and Italy, will fund five Global Hawk unmanned aircraft that will be based at Sigonella Air Base in Sicily, the blog states. For their individual contributions, the United Kingdom will provide Sentinel R1 Airborne Standoff Radar, and France will furnish a Heron TP unmanned aircraft.
NATO will use common funds to pay for the infrastructure, satellite communications, operation and support, alliance officials said at the conclusion of a Feb. 2-3 allied defense ministers’ meeting.