Prospects for the European defence aerospace sector.
This month's fatal crash of an Airbus A400M military transport plane during a pre-delivery checkout flight in Seville is a major setback for the A400M programme. The programme is already four years behind schedule. Airbus's military business is heavily dependent on the A400M, especially as its Typhoon fighter is falling behind the French-built Dassault Rafale in an intensifying battle for export orders.
European defence firms' participation in US-led programmes such as the F-35 may help to sustain revenues.
This will come at the cost of a long-term decline in technological competence.
The Rafale's export advantage may give French industry a short-term edge, but France alone cannot support future investment.
Even if European states agree on future unmanned aerospace systems, these are unlikely to match a conventional aircraft's production values.
