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Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson has strongly denied claims that he took a $500 million contract to manufacture drone planes for the US military.
The allegations stem from internet blog Dorset Eye, who wrote a post that labelled Dickinson a 'Rock'n'Roll Warmonger', and sourced its information from a South African conference speakers' website. Now, a spokesman has denied all claims to NME on behalf of of the heavy metal icon, claiming that Dickinson's investments in aerospace companies re in no way linked with the production of drones
"This is a totally inaccurate and malicious piece of writing that seems to have stemmed from an unfortunate mistake in terminology on a South African website that the writer of said blog has since used as a starting point and catalyst to go off on a flight of sheer fantasy," they said.
"Both Bruce Dickinson and Iron Maiden's manager Rod Smallwood were early investors in, and remain great supporters of, Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), a company that has nothing whatsoever to do with drones, 'lighter than air' or otherwise!"
Watch Iron Maiden performing 'The Trooper' live from their headline set at Download Festival 2013 below:
Dickinson's spokesman added that the air vehicles would not be used for attack purposes: "Possible military use of HAVs in future could be for heavy-lifting, transportation or high altitude detection of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), or similar, thus saving lives, both military and civilian.
"Rather than being involved in attacks in the Third World, as this writer has claimed in such an erroneously dramatic and defamatory manner, HAVs are designed to offer much needed assistance to civilians, businesses and governments that would be unavailable otherwise, due to the unique nature of these incredible vehicles."
Below: Iron Maiden, QOTSA and more live at Download Festival 2013
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