The Greek Army has selected French firm Safran Electronics & Defense to support its aging tactical drone force.
The deal was brokered by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency during the Paris Air Show 2023.
Under the agreement, the company will supply four Patroller medium-altitude, long-endurance drones to Athens.
The unmanned platforms will feature improved navigation systems, onboard electronics, and optronics.
Once delivered, the Patrollers will operate alongside Greece’s current fleet of 16 Sperwer tactical unmanned aircraft from French firm SAGEM.
About the Patroller
Built based on the Stemme S15 aircraft, Safran’s Patroller drone is powered by a 115 HP Rotax 914F engine for a flight endurance of up to 15 hours and a maximum speed of 200 kilometers (124 miles) per hour.
It reportedly offers a compact logistical footprint, resulting in reduced operating costs.
Additionally, the drone can be operated manually or autonomously with a line-of-sight range of 200 kilometers (124 miles).
The Patroller can be fitted with a Euroflir 410 electro-optical/infrared pod for ground surveillance or a multimode surveillance radar for long-range maritime missions.
It also boasts an automatic identification system for ship classification and a synthetic aperture radar for detecting moving targets.
The Safran platform is the first tactical drone to receive NATO airworthiness certification under the standardized agreement 4671, according to the company.