S-300 helicopter drone: contract for South Korean Navy
Development and delivery of the VTOL-UAS
Schiebel, together with Korean based defence solutions companies Hanwha Systems and UI Helicopter, has been awarded a contract by the Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) for the development and delivery of the Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) CAMCOPTER S-300 Unmanned Air System (UAS), to be operated by the South Korean MOD.
The contract was signed with Hanwha Systems for the supply of the S-300 for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions for the South Korean Navy and Marine Corps.
The South Korean Navy has been a Schiebel customer for over 10 years. The changing geo-political situation and North Korean threat call for an expansion of their UAS fleet, adding larger and heavier UAS with greater capability.
The STANAG-compliant and fully certifiable S-300 has an endurance of up to 24 hours and operates at an altitude of up to 21,000 feet, offering a persistent loiter capability for ISTAR operations. The heavy-lift UAS carries payloads of up to 250 kg, making it an ideal cargo delivery solution over long distances in complex and high altitude terrain.
The heavy-lift-capable S-300 can be controlled by the same proven Ground Control Station used by the S-100.
Schiebel recently announced the expansion of its Abu Dhabi facility extensively increasing its global footprint for the CAMCOPTER S-300.
AVIONEWS - World Aeronautical Press Agency