Schiebel Pacific prepares to bid for australian UAV tenders
Australia, Nowra, 15 October 2020 – Schiebel Pacific is scaling its business in preparation for Land129 and Sea129. The company is hiring remote pilots and maintenance technicians and upgrading its facility.
The expansion comes after Schiebel Pacific and Raytheon Australia teamed up for the LAND129 Phase 3 Tactical Unmanned Air System (TUAS) project for the Australian Army. Additionally, Schiebel Pacific is ramping up in preparation for the upcoming SEA129 Phase 5 for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Should the team be awarded with the Land129 Phase 3 TUAS contract, Schiebel’s worldclass CAMCOPTER® S-100 will be produced by Schiebel Pacific at the new Australian production facility, which is currently being established. Furthermore, the company is currently hiring remote pilots and maintenance technicians to better serve existing and future customers’ needs. One defined goal is to establish an in-country sovereign Australian training capability to deliver tailored training solutions for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) requirements at land and sea. Schiebel is currently under contract with the RAN, which operates several systems at 822X Squadron, Nowra, New South Wales.
Andrew Watson, General Manager at Schiebel Pacific said: “We are growing our footprint in Australia as we’re confident that the demand for our CAMCOPTER® S-100 will continuously grow. Therefore, we are investing substantially in not only creating Australian jobs but also the transfer of knowledge and skills to Australia and the wider region. Just as important, we are increasing our network of local SMEs, to make sure we are aligned with the Australian government’s policies on Australian industry content.”
The Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) UAS CAMCOPTER® S-100 is a proven and reliable TUAS for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. With its small footprint and ability to operate from confined areas, it needs no prepared area or supporting equipment for take-off and landing and it can be set up and ready in 20 minutes. The S-100 operates day and night for up to 10 hours. The UAV has globally collected more than 100,000 flight hours so far.
About Schiebel Pacific
Schiebel Pacific Pty Ltd (SPL), the Australian subsidiary of the Schiebel Group, demonstrates a commitment to local industry and is backed by Schiebel’s international reputation for quality defence products and exceptional after-sales services. The Australian base focuses on contract management, service provision, production and maintenance of the revolutionary CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS), providing the Pacific region with a permanent and comprehensive programme, logistics and sales hub.
About the CAMCOPTER® S-100
Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) is an operationally proven capability for military and civilian applications. The Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UAS requires no prepared area or supporting equipment to enable launch and recovery. It operates by day and by night, under adverse weather conditions, with a beyond line-of-sight capability out to 200 km / 108 nm, over land and sea. Its carbon fibre and titanium fuselage provides capacity for a wide range of payload / endurance combinations up to a service ceiling of 5,500 m / 18,000 ft. In a typical configuration, the CAMCOPTER® S-100 carries a 34-kg / 75-lbs payload up to 10 hours and is powered with AVGas or JP-5 (F-44) and Jet-A1. Highdefinition payload imagery is transmitted to the control station in real time. In addition to its standard GPS waypoint or manual navigation, the S-100 can successfully operate in environments where GPS is not available, with missions planned and controlled via a simple point-and-click graphical user interface. The high-tech unmanned helicopter is backed by Schiebel’s excellent customer support and training services.
SOURCE: Schiebel