The Gowind Class L'ADROIT, previously
known as Hermes, has been designed to operate, amongst
other capabilities, a UAS, and by installing the appropriate
cabling and supporting equipment during build, has been
fitted out to operate the maritime proven CAMCOPTER®
S-100 from day one. The ship will be used primarily to
conduct maritime surveillance and reconnaissance missions
as well as anti-piracy and anti smuggling operations and
is believed to be the first vessel ever to be designed
and built to purposely carry a UAS.
Globally there is a continual demand to
know more about and understand the movements and actions
by potential threats at sea, especially from this size
of vessel that offers great flexibility and value for
money. With an eye on both the future and technical developments,
it was a logical step to design a ship to carry a drone.
The fact that our proven and unrivalled CAMCOPTER®
S-100 was the UAS of choice on board this class validates
our continued concentration on the maritime sector and
our strong presence in this market. said Neil Hunter,
Managing Director, Schiebel.
The S-100 has already successfully demonstrated
its outstanding maritime capabilities on six different
classes of vessel across three oceans so far in a variety
of challenging conditions. To date, it has accumulated
hundreds of flight hours including more than 500 take
offs and landings on both military and civilian vessels,
in relative wind speeds of up to 40 knots.
Capable of carrying out operations from
a single ship or as part of a task force, CAMCOPTER®
is a true force multiplier - not only expanding the area
of influence and providing high-definition observation
and surveillance, but also enabling real-time situational
assessments and faster decision making. Closer collaboration
of future maritime patrols featuring unmanned air systems
together with satellite based reconnaissance as well as
radar and sensor systems, will help to ensure safer movement
of traffic across the world s oceans, deter aggression,
better detect piracy, secure coastlines and protect infrastructure
such as pipelines and energy platforms.
The S-100 will begin its trials in the
autumn of 2011, with the OPV and its array of capabilities
expected to be handed over to the French Navy when they
fully take charge of the ship at the end of the year.
