Six years ago, 13 NATO members agreed to establish the “Alliance Ground Surveillance" (AGS) in Sicily (Bundestag printed papers 17/14571, 18/1794). The programme is based on drones and comprises an air and ground segment. Together, they form the core of the new system, the “AGS Core”. Initially the plan was to procure eight “Global Hawk" drones, the number has since been reduced to five. On the ground, piloting and flight-control installations are being put in place. This includes relay stations for satellite communication. The 2009 contract also contains cost-sharing arrangements which divide up the planned investments of EUR 1.45 billion across 13 procuring nations according to certain percentages. Many Member States withdrew right at the beginning – mostly for financial reasons. Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Denmark and Spain are not on board. Canada has now opted out for good. Great Britain and France now want to avail themselves of the option of contributing their own drones rather than money. Apart from Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Norway, this leaves above all Eastern European countries, including all three Baltic States and Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.