Response by Airbus re allegations of monitoring migrants & refugees crossing the Mediterranean
Airbus welcomes the opportunity to reply to the BHRRC which is as follows:
Airbus’ business activities with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) – an official EU agency – are very formal and fully transparent. The Airbus subsidiary, Airbus Defence and Space Airborne Solutions (ADAS) and its long-term partner Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), were awarded a contract by Frontex in 2020 to provide medium altitude long endurance maritime surveillance services through Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS).
The main mission of the RPAS is to support search and rescue missions. Other services can also include providing assistance to Member States and non-EU countries in border surveillance operations against criminal acts like terrorism, drug smuggling, human trafficking or illegal shipping...