Schiebel, as part of the SEACURE consortium led by Thales, has been awarded a grant agreement under the European Defence Fund’s call for unmanned anti-submarine solutions.

Specifically, the SEACURE (Seabed and Anti-Submarine Warfare Capability through Unmanned Feature for Europe) consortium consists of 35 companies from 13 European countries and aims to progress Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Seabed Warfare (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. Schiebel’s latest product, the CAMCOPTER® S-300, will serve as the dedicated Unmanned Air System (UAS) for this project. 

Also read: Camcopter S-100 | The Austrian UAV strengthens the Royal Navy of Thailand

With a maximum take-off weight of 700 kg, the S-300 offers an endurance in excess of 24 hours with a camera and Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) or typically 6 hours with a 250 kg payload. 

It is the first operational VTOL in its class to achieve these capabilities, which the Hellenic Navy shall enjoy soon, as the platform will accompany operationally the new FDI HN frigates. The SEACURE project is scheduled to culminate in a large-scale sea trial by 2028.

Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the Schiebel Group, said that they have been working successfully with Thales on various ASW solutions for the S-100 since their first participation at the NATO exercise REPMUS in 2022. 

Due to its longer endurance and higher payload capacity, the S-300 opens up a multitude of new possibilities for ASW and SBW. 

The SEACURE project aligns perfectly with the S-300 development roadmap, and they are proud to be part of such a significant project, Hans Georg Schiebel added.

Also read: Hellenic Navy | UAS-type CamCopter S-100 trial