Schiebel Engages in Maritime Defense Exercises in Portugal
Schiebel has recently taken part in the REPMUS (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping using maritime Uncrewed Systems) and Dynamic Messenger 2023 events held in Portugal. Collaborating with various partners, the company executed flights with the CAMCOPTER® S-100, demonstrating its capabilities in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), bathymetric scanning for Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA), Mine Counter Measures (MCM), and the deployment of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and profiling floats.
The relevance of unmanned systems in ASW,MCM,REA,and Maritime Security Operations (MSO) is growing significantly in modern naval defense strategies. during the extensive NATO exercise,Schiebel showcased the versatility of the CAMCOPTER® S-100 by adapting it for multiple missions,utilizing a range of sensors and payloads to perform diverse operations.
At last year’s REPMUS, Schiebel, in partnership with Thales, successfully demonstrated the transmission of data from sonobuoys. This year, the S-100 excelled with its sonobuoy dispenser, effectively deploying NATO-standard G-size sonobuoys. This integration of capabilities allows the Schiebel Unmanned Air System (UAS) to provide a complete solution for ASW.
In the realm of MCM, the CAMCOPTER® S-100 showcased the VQ-840-G LiDAR technology from RIEGL, in collaboration with Thales. Utilizing the open architecture of the Thales MCM Mission Management System (M-CUBE), which facilitates rapid integration of third-party sensors, the S-100 achieved a complete airborne mine-hunting capability, successfully detecting all mine targets.
Schiebel also highlighted its contributions to advanced REA missions, employing the S-100’s reliable cargo hook to deploy the Yuco AUV from Seaber and the APEX profiling float from Teledyne. This collaboration produced a detailed topo-bathymetric situational analysis. The Fugro Rapid Airborne Multibeam Mapping System (RAMMS) from Areté further enhanced the topobathymetric output, effectively addressing the surf zone gap that is typically inaccessible to surface vessels.
The concept of Unmanned-Unmanned Teaming (U-UT) was also demonstrated during the NATO exercise, with the S-100 transmitting data from ALSEAMAR’s SEAEXPLORER glider to a Combat Management System (CMS). This validated the underwater vehicle’s ability to function effectively in environments where satellite communication is unavailable.
“Participating in NATO exercises like REPMUS and Dynamic Messenger provides an extraordinary platform to showcase our innovative capabilities. The S-100 has once again proven to be an essential unmanned asset in advancing maritime defense solutions, especially in ASW and MCM, which are in high demand,” stated Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the schiebel Group.
Schiebel collaborated with several partners,including Areté,thales,Seaber (Yuco),Teledyne (APEX),ALSEAMAR (SEAEXPLORER),RIEGL,and Fugro. The S-100’s participation in these exercises was supported by the UK Royal Navy and the U.S. Office of Naval Research,with the Portuguese Navy hosting REPMUS and Dynamic Messenger.
