Today, the Hellenic Navy signed a contract to acquire four Schiebel CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS for its Kimon-class (FDI HN) frigates. The first system, each system with two S-100 air vehicles, will be deployed on HS Kimon in spring 2026, alongside a land-based system for training, with initial crews completing training by the same period.
Schiebel press release
Vienna, 13 February 2026: The Hellenic Navy has signed a contract to procure ship-based CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) to be deployed on the Hellenic Navy’s Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention (FDI) Belharra-class frigates, namely HS (Hellenic Ship) Kimon, Nearchos and Formion.
The HS (Hellenic Ship) Kimon, which arrived in Greece in January 2026, will be equipped with the CAMCOPTER® S-100 in spring 2026. Another system will be operated from land and used for training, as well as to enhance operator proficiency. The training of the initial Greek CAMCOPTER® S-100 crews is scheduled to be completed in spring 2026.
The remaining S-100 systems will be ship-based and deployed from the Hellenic Navy’s Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention (FDI) Belharra-class frigates, namely HS (Hellenic Ship) Nearchos and Formion. HS Nearchos is scheduled for late 2026, while HS Formion is expected to arrive by early 2027. The French Naval Group-built frigates are pre-fitted for the CAMCOPTER® S-100 integration, enabling rapid installation and operational introduction.
Equipped with a Wescam MX-10 EO/IR camera gimbal and an Overwatch Imaging PT-8 Oceanwatch, the S-100 systems will enhance the Hellenic Navy’s frigate fleet operations across a wide range of missions, such as maritime security, search and rescue operations, environmental monitoring, control of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW).
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
Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the Schiebel Group
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 fiber 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. The dash speed is 100 kts and the cruise speed 55 kts.
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 heavy fuel. High-definition 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.
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CAMCOPTER S-100 Strengthens Greek FDI Frigate Capabilities
Naval News first reported details on the Hellenic Navy’s S-100 programme in 2025, when Lubos Šrámek, Sales Director for Europe at Schiebel, shared exclusive insights into the S-100 CAMCOPTER UAS during an interview with Naval News at DEFEA 2025.
The CAMCOPTER S-100 systems will be fully integrated with the FDI frigates’ SETIS CMS, ensuring seamless operational interoperability. The integration is implemented through Naval Group’s STEERIS MS (Mission System) that manages the missions of any drone or autonomous system. The STEERIS command and control (C2) solution allows the control and data fusion of the UxV with/in the combat information center (CIC). This integration will significantly enhance the surveillance, detection, and identification capabilities of the Hellenic Navy’s surface fleet. The ships are being constructed with full provisions for the system from the outset, allowing real-time data exchange and enabling the UAS to deliver its full operational potential.
Each S-100 system consists of two air vehicles, both housed in the FDI’s dedicated hangar, multiple payloads, a control system with two operator workstations, and a data link. While most missions require only one air vehicle, the second ensures high availability (over 90%) or undergoes maintenance. The dual-vehicle configuration also allows mission flexibility, with one UAS, for example, deploying sonobuoys for coastal surveillance while the second, equipped with a data relay payload, extends data transmission range. A total of four systems will be delivered to Greece, three of which will be deployed aboard FDI HN frigates, while the first system will initially be land-based at Marathon for training purposes. The Hellenic Navy retains the option to later assign this system to a fourth frigate or keep it ashore, with plans to procure a fifth system.
Installation and integration will be carried out by Naval Group in Greece, with all cabling and system integration performed locally. Further details on the Greek programme can be found in the article “S-100 CAMCOPTER Strengthens Greek FDI Frigate Capabilities.”