Asian Military Review — May 2017

| may 2017 |^51

air

power

AMr

Indonesia has become the first customer for the V-200 UAV.

Acceptance trials of the aircraft were performed in 2016.

acquire the aircraft, as opposed to
the specific service, or services which
will be operating it. Moreover, it has
not been revealed when deliveries of
this UAV will commence.
Another upcoming rotary
UAV with large potential for
naval applications is Airbus
Helicopter’s VSR-700. This aircraft
is a derivative of the Guimbal
Cabri-G2 helicopter, which has
been an ongoing development
over the last ten years with Airbus.
In October 2016, it was reported
that Airbus Helicopters and DCNS
had joined forces to develop the
VSR-700 to respond to the Marine
Nationale (French Navy) SDAM (Système
de Drones Aériens de la Marine/Naval UAV
System) requirement. Further reports in
January stated that a prototype of this
aircraft is expected to commence flight
trials before the end of the year, with
certification possibly following in 2019.
Reports have continued that the VRS-
700 could replace the French Navy’s
current S-100 aircraft, delivered in 2012,

which has supported naval UAV trials,

and helped the force gain experience in

operating a rotary UAV. Deliveries of the

VSR-700 are expected to commence in

circa 2020. Jean-Brice Dumont, the recent

head of engineering at Airbus Helicopters,

stated that the company had learned

much about UAV control and dynamics

through optionally piloted test flights

with its Eurocopter/Airbus Helicopters

H-155 and H-145 medium-lift and

light utility helicopters, adding

that the company was now in a

position to bring the capability

quickly to the naval market.

While tensions continue to

escalate in both south-east and east

Asia over the PRC’s expansion and

island-building policy, the growth

of the region’s naval capabilities

will remain relatively steady. The

low oil price, which have averaged

circa $55 per barrel of Brent Crude

for January and February, according

to the US Energy Information

Administration, has continued to

effect defence spending for several

nations, notably oil-rich Malaysia, and the

trend has been to follow the West’s lead in

doing more with less as far as rotorcraft

are concerned. Naval support helicopters

remain a significant asset to any navy

particularly when protecting archipelagos.

There is almost certain to be an expansion

of maritime rotary UAVs to survey these

areas and to help enhance the security of

exclusive economic zones.

UMS Skeldar

Same Great Show

at a BIGGER, BETTER VENUE!

DSA 2018 will be held at the newly completed MITEC; Malaysia's largest exhibition centre.