Vertical Take Off and Landing – Major Naval Advantage

Vertical Take Off and Landing – Major Naval Advantage

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The German Navy has just started at-sea tests of the SKELDAR V200 vertical take off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aboard first-in-class K130 corvette “Braunschweig”.

Pictures shared on social media by the Commander of the German Naval Aviation show two Sea Falcon (the German Navy designation for the V-200) being lifted aboard the corvette, in Kiel.

The Commander explained on Twitter that “the tests are beginning, first on deck and then dynamically”.

Skeldar V-200 Maritime is a medium-range vertical take-off and landing UAV capable of being launched from the deck of any vessel, delivers real-time intelligence and surveillance. Skeldar V-200 is a more cost-effective alternative to conventional helicopters used in surveillance missions.

According to navalnews.com, UMS Skeldar won a contract back in August 2018 for the supply of a SKELDAR V-200 unmanned aircraft system consisting of two unmanned aerial vehicles as sensor carriers, integration of the system into the K130 corvette, a spare parts package and training of ship-borne operators and maintenance personnel. 

The goal of the procurement contract is to supply a new, unmanned, airborne reconnaissance system for the German Navy specified by the Federal military procurement agency Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw).

The same VTOL UAV was selected last month as part of the naval mine countermeasures capability replacement which will supply 12 mine hunters equipped with drone systems (Toolbox) to the Belgian and Royal Netherlands navies.