France has purchased six unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Canada and is currently in talks to buy another drone from the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. French Defense Ministry Spokesman Laurent Teisseire said Paris was negotiating with EADS over the purchase of an Systeme Interimaire de Drone Harfang UAV, three of which the French Air Force is already using, Defensenews.com reports. Paris also bought a secondhand SDTI Sperver UAVs from Canada to replace broken-down Harfang drones being used in Afghanistan. The Sperver UAVs are currently being inspected by officials from France's military procurement office, also according to Defensenews.com.

Earlier this month, French magazine Le Point reported Paris may satisfy its urgent need for UAVs by shopping with U.S. company General Atomics. The report said France was mulling to buy four Predator B drones and two stations for receiving and processing images at a cost of up to US$100 million, with each additional UAV costing US$10 million. Asked if France was still mulling to buy at General Atomics, Teisseire replied, "All options are being studied for acquisition of medium-altitude, long-endurance UAVs beyond 2015."

EADS has in the past asked European governments for money to fund a European joint UAV project to catch up with competitors in North America. The company is a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services. In 2008 it generated revenues of US$61 billion and employed a workforce of about 118,000. General Atomics, founded 1955 in San Diego, sells high-technology systems ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely operated surveillance aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless and laser technologies. The company manufactures the Predator and Sky Warrior UAVs and dominates the quickly growing UAV market along with Northrop Grumman, which builds the high-altitude Global Hawk drone, and Israeli companies. Annual worldwide spending on drones will double within a decade to US$8.7 billion, according to estimates by Teal Group, a Fairfax, Virginia-based aviation consultant. (Credit: EU News Network)