The Hellenic Army has signed a procurement deal to acquire more V-BAT uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) for ISR missions in the Aegean Sea.
As per a press statement from the drone’s manufacturer Shield AI, Greece’s Ministry of Defence has given the green light to purchase more of the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones.
Starting last year, the Hellenic Army initially trialled two of the drones for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The new drones will be used “in support of Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) operations across the Aegean Sea,” as per Shield AI.
The number of new UAS was not specified in the Shield AI statement, but previous reports have suggested up to ten new drones are being acquired.
Known for its flexibility and compact deployment requirements, the VTOL UAS, which flies horizontally once airborne, can operate off a flight deck as small as 5 square metres.
The drone stands just under 3m tall, has a wingspan of almost 4m, and a maximum payload of about 18kg. It can fly for more than 12 hours at a time and can also be configured for targeting and strike missions.
In Ukraine, it has been used for long-endurance ISR missions without relying on satellite-based navigation systems such as GPS.
Shield AI’s regional director of Eastern and Southeast Europe James Lythgoe commented: “V-BAT is exceptionally well-suited for operations in Greece, where forces operate across dispersed islands, remote coastlines, deep valleys, mountain ranges, and complex maritime environments.
“V-BAT has proven itself in combat operations in Ukraine, including in GPS- and communications-denied environments, and was built for exactly these kinds of operational realities.”
The Royal Netherlands Navy has also recently acquired 12 V-BAT drones to be used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
- You can read more details on the Shield AI website