A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering industrial cooperation and involving the activities of EADS and its Cassidian and Astrium Divisions in Germany, Spain, France and the UK has been signed with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). This agreement is designed to boost the exploration of potential collaborative opportunities, including shared and common works with regard to UAV programs in different classes.

This new MoU follows a previous agreement signed in May 2011 in Istanbul on cooperation in the Talarion program between Cassidian and TAI that demonstrates a growing tendency for wider international collaboration in the defense aerospace industry. The latest agreement involves activities in Turkey, Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom, which have a wide range of experience and competencies in the fields of aerospace and have agreed to further explore and develop collaboration.

"This new agreement clearly demonstrates the expressed need to boost and reinforce multi-national collaboration in our industry," said Yalcin Kaya, chairman, Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc.

Bernhard Gerwert, CEO of Cassidian Air Systems, added, "Combining expertise and skills together in a five-nation group is the best and only way to provide our clients and customers with state of the art technology at the best possible costs."