On Friday, February 13, 2026, the Austrian company Schiebel Elektronische Geräte announced that it had signed a contract with the General Directorate for Defence Investments and Armaments (GDDIA) of the Ministry of National Defence of Greece for the delivery of maritime Camcopter S-100 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles for the new Belharra-class frigates (FDI HN variant): HS Kimon (F-601), HS Nearchos (F-602), and HS Formion (F-603).
Photos: Schiebel Elektronische Geräte
The first of the four frigates ordered in France, HS Kimon (F-601), arrived in Greece on January 15 of this year, with integration of the Camcopter S-100 planned for spring.
Another system will be operated from shore and used for training and operator qualification. Training of the first Greek drone operators is scheduled to be completed this spring.
The remaining S-100 systems will be deployed aboard the respective ships, which are set to enter service with the Hellenic Navy (Polemikó Naftikó) by the end of this year and early next year. The fourth contracted vessel, the future HS Themistokles (F-600), is scheduled for delivery in 2028.
The frigates, built by the French shipbuilder Naval Group, are preconfigured for integration with the Camcopter S-100 system, enabling rapid installation and operational deployment. The UAVs will be equipped with Wescam MX-10 EO/IR electro-optical sensors and the PT-8 Oceanwatch intelligent maritime imaging and surveillance system.
The Camcopter S-100 will enhance the operational capabilities of the Greek frigate fleet across a broad range of missions, including maritime security, search and rescue, environmental monitoring, exclusive economic zone (EEZ) control, and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) support.
“We are extremely proud that the CAMCOPTER® S-100 is the UAS of choice for the Hellenic Navy. With its proven maritime performance, endurance and payload capacity, the S-100 will provide commanders with extended situational awareness, further enhancing the operational capabilities of the Hellenic Navy’s surface forces,” said Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the Schiebel Group.
The Camcopter S-100 has a maximum takeoff weight of 200 kg (including a 50 kg payload and an empty weight of 110 kg). It measures 3.11 m in length, 1.24 m in width, and 1.12 m in height. The main rotor diameter is 3.4 m. Fuel capacity is 57 liters of AVGAS 100LL aviation gasoline. The aircraft is powered by a Wankel-type (rotary piston) Austro Engine AE50R rated at 55 hp (41 kW), or optionally a Schiebel engine. This provides a maximum speed of 220 km/h, a cruising speed of 190 km/h, a range of up to 190 km, endurance of up to six hours, and a service ceiling of 5,500 m. The UAV can carry an electro-optical payload, an electronic intelligence system, or a Leonardo AESA SAR radar. It can optionally be armed with two Thales Martlet/Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM).
Aircraft of this type are in service with the land forces of the United Arab Emirates; the navies of Germany, France, China, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia; the Border Service of Russia’s Federal Security Service (produced under license as the Gorizont Air S-100); as well as the armed forces of Belgium, Egypt, Italy, Jordan, Libya, Mozambique, Thailand, Tunisia, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates. They are also operated by border services in the European Union, Chile, Malta, Iceland, Finland, Spain, Romania, Norway, and the United Kingdom (where it is designated Peregrine), as well as by Croatia’s Ministry of the Interior. The system is expected to enter service with the Canadian Armed Forces soon, while it was withdrawn from service in Australia in 2024. It was unsuccessfully offered in Poland under the Albatros program.
PRESS RELEASE: Hellenic Navy procures CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS for new FDI frigates https://t.co/4ODTPBNFF5 pic.twitter.com/xLH780DD3o
— Schiebel Group (@SchiebelGroup) February 13, 2026
