The excellent surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities of the aircraft manifest a perfect application for the protection of the Greek territory and islands
Greece is working to upgrade its domestic drone industry, which has lagged behind other European countries, with the development of the locally built “Archytas” aircraft, well-known defense and armaments journalist Elisabeth says in an extensive article. Gosselin-Malo for defensenews.com.
It is of particular interest that as the premiere approaches, which based on what the Minister of Finance Mr. Staikouras recently said will take place with the first tests at the beginning of next month, the eyes of foreign media are turning more and more to our country.
Officials presented the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone for the first time at the Thessaloniki International Fair earlier this month. The fixed-wing aircraft is a joint production of the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HLA) and the Universities of Aristotle, Thessaly and Democritio. Representatives said the Archytas unveiling was intended to be the first in a series of upcoming products to come out of the collaboration.
Archytas is characterized as a multi-purpose drone and is capable of operating in both rescue and military operations. According to the information provided by the ODA, it can be used to provide situational awareness at the land and sea borders of Greece, to monitor land vehicles and also to escort frigates, as it has the ability to immediately detect unmanned sea vehicles that they move at high speeds.
Nikos Koklas, director of research and design at EAB, told Defense News that the drone was designed to “perform these missions with minimal modifications, which can be done on site in the field.” The aircraft’s “excellent surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities manifest a perfect application for the protection of Greek territory and islands,” he added.
The surveillance mission is of particular importance for the Greek side.
Locked in a historic rivalry with Turkey, itself a drone power, the rhetoric between Athens and Ankara has recently soured. The two NATO members have been at odds for years over airspace and territorial claims in and above the Aegean. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted earlier this month that his country could use military action against its neighbor, saying “Turkey could come suddenly overnight.”
Depending on the chosen payload, Mr. Koklas says the Archytas can cover up to 300 kilometers at a cruising speed of 120 km/h and can fly for four hours straight. While the UAV is designed to operate without armament, it can be modified to carry light armament (maximum weight 14 kg). Its VTOL capability is provided by four electric propellers on the longitudinal spar, which connects the wings to the negative V tail. The system is further integrated with four struts to maximize flight endurance by generating minimum drag. This allows the drone to reach very remote locations while also allowing it to land on the decks of large ships without the need for a runway, according to the manufacturer.
Following the presentation of the demonstrator prototype, an Archytas drone is scheduled to make its first flight at the end of October 2022. The first pre-production system is expected to be integrated and manufactured by December 2023, with first flight by March 2024. The first customers of Archytas will be the Hellenic Armed Forces as well as other Greek civil protection services.
Asked about the international interest in Archytas, Mr. Koklas stated that “it has already attracted the attention of many countries other than Greece, forming an excellent commercial prospect.”
