The European Union (EU) has selected Austria-based Schiebel to provide its Camcopter S-300 unmanned aerial system (UAS) for the alliance’s Stand-off anti-submarine Warfare Operations by Remote Deployment (SWORD) program.
The 36-month initiative aims to develop sensor-to-shooter capabilities that enable warships to detect, track, and engage underwater threats.
Backed by the European Defence Fund, SWORD carries a value of more than 19.9 million euros ($23.1 million).
Atlas Elektronik, a subsidiary of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, leads the SWORD consortium, which includes industry partners from Cyprus and other NATO member states.
The Camcopter S-300
Under the program, the S-300 is expected to demonstrate its vertical takeoff and landing capabilities for deploying advanced sensors and mission payloads across contested maritime environments.
The drone has a maximum takeoff weight of 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds) and features multiple payload bays, including a 250-kilogram (551-pound) main compartment, two 80-kilogram (176-pound) side bays, a 50-kilogram (110-pound) nose bay, and a 50-kilogram auxiliary bay.
The aircraft measures 4.8 meters (16 feet) long, with a rotor diameter of 5.3 meters (17 feet) and a height of 1.8 meters (6 feet).
Powered by a 300-liter (79-gallon) heavy-fuel tank, the S-300 can reach speeds of up to 120 knots (222 kilometers/138 miles per hour), operate at altitudes up to 21,000 feet (3,658 meters), and remain airborne for more than 24 hours.
The platform also offers a data-link range exceeding 200 kilometers (124 miles).
“SWORD is a great example of European cooperation in a highly relevant maritime defence domain,” said Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the Schiebel Group.
“The selection of the S-300 highlights the platform’s potential to support future anti-submarine warfare concepts with a flexible, unmanned and operationally efficient capability.”
