By GCT P
Three small Greek armament programs with multiplier effect are going to start soon and concern the following weapon systems: UAS S-100, Sperwer, T-6A NTA Texan II, Penta Postagma reported.
For 25 million euros, four remote-controlled small UAS helicopters of the Camcopter S-100 type from Austrian company Schiebel will be purchased, which will equip the same number of MEKO 200HN frigates to the Greek Navy.
The Austrian remote-controlled mini helicopter Camcopter S-100 has a length of 3.11 meters, width 1.24 meters, height 1.12 meters, empty weight 110 kg, maximum take-off weight 200 kg, payload of 50 kg, autonomy of 6 hours flight, top speed 220 km / h, cruising speed 190 km / h, range 180 km, and operational roof 5.5 km.
The helicopter has an Austro Engine AE50R Wankel engine that produces 55 hp, while the fuel that the helicopter carries reaches 57 liters. It has been acquired by 16 countries and is considered one of the most successful systems in its class worldwide.
The Camcopter S-100 can be equipped with a set of day and night electro-optical sensors and alternatively with the Thales Group I-Master Composite Surveillance Radar weighing a total of 30 kg to detect targets at sea and land.
In the future, the Austrian remote-controlled helicopter will be equipped with two low-cost and light-weight guided missiles by Thales Air Defense.
This rocket has a length of 1.3 meters, a diameter of 76 mm, a weight of 13 kg, a range of 6-8 km and a maximum speed of 1.5 mach utilizing its two-stage rocket engine.
The rocket is aimed at the target riding a Laser beam emitted by the carrier from which Martlet was launched. Alternatively the rocket can be equipped with a Semi-active Laser sensor.
The warhead of the missile weighs 3 kg and can be Mini Tandem or Low Collateral or alternatively Enhanced Blast and fired by a Laser approach gun.
Most importantly, however, the Martlet missile is to be certified for the destruction of aircraft and drones by AH-64 Apache attack helicopters.
The initial operational availability of the British missile will be achieved in 2021 and fully by 2024.
The second mini armament program of the Greek Armed Forces that is being led to implementation is the upgrade of Le Sperwer aircraft upgrade to Le Sperwer-B with a total budget of about 55 million euros.
This program includes the upgrade of the 14 aircraft currently available to the Greek Army and more specifically the radical upgrade of the aircraft with a new larger wing and the addition of two canard fins.
The new version can fly for 12 hours instead of the 6 hours of the original version, its range reaches 200 km, while the load increases from 50 kg to 100 kg, allowing the aircraft to carry warheads on two suspension flags, such as Israeli Spike-LR missile and Nexter’s 155mm BONUS anti-tank system, with a total weight of 60 kg.
The range of the aircraft will be reduced for Greek needs due to the weight of the ammunition.
Finally, for the Greek military to deal with the Turkish UAV Bayraktar, the utilization of the T-6A Texan II is preferred.
So the acquisition of 45 such aircraft in the early 2000s is a powerful piece of paper in our hands.