France, UK To Unveil $2.1 Billion Joint Drone Project

UK Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Fracois Hollande will unveil a 1.5 billion pound ($2.1 billion) joint drone project at the UK-France Defence summit today in Amienson.

“Both Britain and France will invest 750 million pounds to build a drone prototype that will be the most advanced vehicle of its kind in Europe,” Bloomberg cited David Cameron’s office as saying in an email statement.

The UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon will be in attendance and will be meeting the French Defence Secretary Le Drian. 

The two countries will use the meeting to increase police and security cooperation and commit to a “relentless” battle against terrorism, Cameron’s office said. The summit will also include foreign, home and defense ministers from both nations.

“The UK’s membership of the EU gives us greater security and greater capacity to project power globally,” Cameron said. “In an ever-more uncertain world, we gain from our membership of these international organizations.”

BAE Systems Plc, Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc and Dassault Aviation SA are among companies expected to benefit from the project, dubbed Future Combat Air System, the statement said.

Both the nations will seek to persuade voters to choose to remain in the bloc of referendum on June 23.

An ICM poll on Wednesday showed voters are evenly split between those who plan to vote to leave the bloc and those who want Britain to remain a member.

The drone project follows a 120 million-pound joint feasibility study and may also benefit Selex ES Ltd. in the U.K., as well as Safran SA’s Snecma unit and Thales SA in France, according to the statement.