Camcopter Continues to Be Popular Seller with Military Operators

German UAV manufacturer Schiebel signed a deal with South Korea's Hanwha Systems to supply the S-300 Camcopter for the South Korean Navy and Marine Corps.

The deal is a tad convoluted in theory, being contracted with Hanwha Systems and UI Helicopter through the Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA). The winding bureaucratic road ends in the same place, however: S-300 Camcopters lining the decks of South Korean ships. The Navy has already been in the Chiebel family for more than a decade, using their original S-100 series Camcopters for their intel, surveillance, and patrol missions.

Now, Schiebel says the "changing geo-political situation and North Korean threat call for an expansion of their UAS fleet," necessitating something with greater capability than the aging S-100. The S-300 can fit the bill well, offering endurance up to a full day, a ceiling of 21,000 feet, and a 250-kg payload. That heavier lift capacity opens up a whole range of antisub operations, allowing it to drop sonobuoys at a fraction of the cost of a much larger crewed fixed-wing aircraft.

“We are extremely excited that the South Korean Navy and Marine Corps is building on its extensive experience and success with the S-100 by awarding Hanwha the contract for Schiebel’s new long-endurance, heavy-lift-capable UAS. The S-300 marks a major milestone in the company’s history,” said Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the Schiebel Group.

FMI: www.schiebel.net