Camcopter S-300 UAS to demonstrate anti-submarine and seabed warfare for European requirement

The Schiebel Camcopter S-300 equipped with sonobuoy dispensers and a maritime radar for anti-submarine warfare and seabed warfare. The unmanned helicopter is to be used by the SEACURE consortium to demonstrate an EDF requirement. (Schiebel)

The Schiebel Camcopter S-300 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) is to be demonstrated as part of a European Defence Fund (EDF)-sponsored anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and seabed warfare (SBW) programme.

Announced by the Swiss manufacturer of the rotary-winged UAS on 13 January, the trial is being conducted by the seabed and anti-submarine warfare capability through unmanned feature for Europe (SEACURE) consortium.

“Schiebel, as part of the SEACURE consortium led by Thales, has been awarded a grant agreement under the EDF's call for unmanned anti-submarine and seabed warfare solutions,” Schiebel said. “The SEACURE consortium consists of 35 companies from 13 European countries and aims to progress joint ASW and SBW with unmanned air, surface, and underwater systems protecting critical maritime infrastructure. The focus is on detection, classification, identification, and tracking of underwater threats in demanding conditions.”

As noted in the announcement, Schiebel's latest product, the Camcopter S-300, will serve as the dedicated UAS for this project. Performance specifications given by the manufacturer give the Camcopter S-300 a maximum take-off weight of 700 kg, and an endurance in excess of 24 hours with an electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) camera and inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) or typically six hours with a 250 kg payload. “It is the first operational VTOL [vertical take-off and landing] in its class to achieve these capabilities,” Schiebel said.

The SEACURE project is scheduled to culminate in a large-scale sea trial by 2028.

For more information on the Camcopter S-300, please see Schiebel Camcopter S-300.