Singapore Trials S-100 Camcopter on Littoral Mission Vessel

01 Mei 2018

The Republic of Singapore Navy has conducted at-sea trials of the S-100 Camcopter from a Littoral Mission Vessel. Trials meant to establish operating parameters of rotor-wing unmanned aerial vehicles for the new ship type (photo : UST)

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has concluded a series of shipborne trials for the Schiebel S-100 Camcopter rotor-winged unmanned aerial system (UAS) on one of its Independence-class Littoral Mission Vessels (LMVs).

The trials, which involved a heavy fuel variant of the UAS, took place over several months in late 2017 on the LMV programme’s second-of-class, RSS Sovereignty (16), Jane’s has learnt. Sovereignty is one of the RSN’s three operational LMVs, and the vessel was commissioned in November 2017 along with its sister ship, RSS Unity (17).

Among objectives of the Camcopter trials include the establishment of basic rotor-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operating envelopes and parameters, under various operational scenarios including at varying speed and sea states, for the LMV platform.

RSN Littoral Mission Vessels (photo : RSN)

The trials were also an opportunity for the service to inoculate its personnel with rotor-wing UAV operational concepts and procedures, Jane’s understands.

The RSN currently operates the fixed-wing ScanEagle UAS from its Victory-class missile-armed corvettes. The service is not known to have operated any other shipborne rotor-wing UAS from its vessels, prior to the Camcopter trials in 2017.

The S-100 vehicle features a two-blade main rotor, a streamlined pod and boom fuselage, a dorsal tailfin, and a three-point undercarriage. The system has a maximum take-off weight of 220 kg, and a maximum payload of 100 kg including fuel and sensors. It has a service ceiling of 18,000 ft, an endurance of 10 hours when fitted with an external fuel tank, and a never-exceed speed of 120 kt.

(Jane's)