Based in London, Tony covers European defense programs. Prior to joining Aviation Week in November 2012, Tony was at Shephard Media Group where he was deputy editor for Rotorhub and Defence Helicopter magazines. Tony has covered avionics, unmanned vehicles, the supply chain and cyberwarfare.
The U.K. could put maritime patrol back on the agenda, more than two years after the capability was lost through the cancellation of the BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 program. Findings of a study carried out by the House of Commons's Defense Committee inquiry into future maritime surveillance will be handed to the Military Capability Board in April and options that “merit further investigation” will be examined prior to the next Strategic Defense and Security Review (SDSR), due to be carried out by the Ministry of Defense in 2015.
Amy Svitak (Paris and Istres, France), Tony Osborne (London)
With belts tightening across Europe, the EU is pushing the case for increased defense cooperation among its 27 member states, particularly when it comes to enhancing military capabilities in support of joint security and defense operations. EU leaders in December said the continent's economic crisis ultimately could force Euro-skeptics to share planning and development of key defense requirements in an effort to save money and facilitate interoperability on the battlefield.
