Royal Thai Navy selects CAMCOPTER S-100 for ISR role

The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has selected Schiebel Group's CAMCOPTER S-100 to provide an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) role across land and sea environments.

Schiebel Group's CAMCOPTER S-100 is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial system (UAS), used in an ISR role in support of military operations including search and rescue (SAR). The UAS can operate day and night, even under adverse weather conditions.

The contract was signed on November 4 by Hannes Hecher, Schiebel Group's managing director, and ADM Prachachart Sirisawat, Director General Naval Acquisition Management Office of the RTN. It is the first time the RTN will operate a VTOL UAS for maritime operations. No detail on procurement numbers or the monetary value of the contract has been released.

CAMCOPTER S-100 Contract Signing [Royal Thai Navy]
ADM Prachachart Sirisawat (left) and Hannes Hecher (right) after signing the contracts. Royal Thai Navy

In Thai naval service, the CAMCOPTER S-100 is scheduled to deploy to the Pakphanang District, in the province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, in 2020. It will also operate from RTN frigates. 

Hans Georg Schiebel, chairman of Schiebel Group, said: “With the Royal Thai Navy, we have another major maritime contract to add to our growing list of customers. Our CAMCOPTER S-100 is recognised for being a reliable and proven UAS, especially at sea, which is why we outpaced all other UAS suppliers in the competitive tender process.”

To provide an effective and smooth transition into Thai naval service, Schiebel has partnered with MoraThai Defence Company, based in Bangkok.

Schiebel Group CAMCOPTER S-100 [Schiebel Group]
A Schiebel CAMCOPTER S-100 on the deck of the Norwegian Coast Guard's KV Svalbard offshore patrol vesselThe S-100 will soon become a familiar site on RTN frigates. SCHIEBEL