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The Department of Defence has awarded Austria’s Schiebel Group a contract to supply its Camcopter S-100 to meet the Royal Australian Navy’s interim vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial system (UAS) requirement.
Signed in late December, the contract fulfils a request for tender (RFT) for Navy Minor Project (NMP) 1942 which sought to procure a “proven” VTOL Maritime Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System – Interim Capability (MTUAS-IC) and associated engineering and logistics support for the Navy.
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The RFT brief said the MTUAS-IC looks “to extend and enhance the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities of a parent unit or ship to increase situational awareness using a variety of sensors”.
“We feel most honoured by the Royal Australian Navy’s decision to purchase our Camcopter S-100 UAS,” said Schiebel Group owner Hans Georg Schiebel in a February 6 statement.
“We are sure that the S-100 will prove to be an effective asset that will set a new benchmark for UAS capability.”
Featuring a carbon fibre and titanium fuselage, the S-100 has a maximum takeoff weight of 200kg and can carry a 34kg payload of electro-optics and infrared sensors for up to 10 hours. It has a maximum speed of around 120kt and is powered by a 55hp (41kW) Diamond piston engine.
The S-100 VTOL UAS has a beyond line-of-sight capability out to 200km. Able to fly fully autonomously, it can be operated from a pilot control unit with missions planned and controlled via a simple point-and-click graphical user interface. High definition payload imagery is transmitted to the control station in real time.
In August, the S-100 will embark on the Navy’s Adelaide class FFG to conduct vertical takeoff and landing trials.
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Derrick
says:I’m curious in why the Navy didn’t go with the MQ-8B/C as both are proven airframes and both have been designed to work with the MH-60R and P8
Bill
says:More equipment from Europe. Joy.
Paul
says:@Derrick. This is an Interim Capability of 1 or 2 aircraft (according to AA article of April 2016), presumably establishing what it can deliver, how the Navy uses it. and what they will need to ask for in the final product. The DIIP indicates that that this will be in the 2020+ timeframe. I would look out for the MQ-8C then.
Jasonp
says:Once you put an MH-60R in an ANZAC hangar, there’s not much room for anything else. Certainly not a Fire Scout. Also, the B model Fire Scout is no longer produced.
Mick181
says:That first photo is terrible, reminds me of a B&W photo of a early model helicopter from 1950.
sean
says:Plain and simple , its been in service .