Next month Northrop Grumman expects to at last receive the long-delayed contract for Germany's first Euro Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, which the German military hopes to have operational as a signals intelligence platform by 2010.

Euro Hawk is a joint effort by Global Hawk manufacturer Northrop Grumman and EADS, which is furnishing a new signals intelligence sensor for the aircraft. Purchase of the first Euro Hawk has suffered repeated delays as a result of both legislative factors within the German government and the U.S. export control process.

"The administrative piece of it has been extremely difficult," said Edward Walby, Northrop Grumman's head of high-altitude/long-endurance systems. "This isn't a large profit objective for Northrop Grumman, but it is a big deal to get an export of a system such as a Global Hawk under way. The next one, or the next country will be easier because you've gone through all of those little problems already."

The purchase itself is organized as a mix of foreign military sales (FMS) and commercial transactions, "which makes it even more complicated," Walby told The DAILY. The initial purchase is a prelude to an expected total buy of four to six Global Hawk aircraft, he said.

Northrop Grumman must work out with the U.S. Air Force, the primary customer for Global Hawk, which specific aircraft in which production lot will go to Germany. Once the contract is in place, delivery of the first Euro Hawk could take place in about 18 months.