Italian Navy Picks Camcopter in Contract Award

Photo courtesy Schiebel.

By Danielle Lucey



This week, Schiebel announced that the Italian navy has selected its Camcopter S-100 unmanned aircraft to support its fleet, making it the first European navy to put the system to operational use. 



The Italian navy has done previous work with the system — it was the first UAS to ever fly from an Italian ship. The system took off of the ITS Bersagliere frigate in April 2012. 



The helicopter the navy will used has a Wescam MX-10 and a Shine Micro automatic identification system and can collect data for up to six hours at a time. It will also be mounted with a Schiebel-made harpoon system, which allows for takeoffs and landings in sea state five. 



“The Camcopter S-100 continues to be a proven and highly sought after asset in maritime operations,” says Hans Georg Schiebel, chairman of the company. “Its ability to extend a ship commander’s visible and electronic horizon to beyond what is conventionally possible is a powerful instrument that helps to counter possible threats, secure routes and control recourses at less operational cost. This quality has already garnered the interest of several global navies, where the S-100’s robust nature has proven effective, particularly in the unforgiving maritime environment.”