Ramona Adams
The U.S. Navy has signed an agreement with Canada’s defense department to establish the first-ever foreign military sales transaction for the RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned air system.
The Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office plans to deliver one Blackjack UAS system to Canada’s army in 2017, the Navy said Monday.
Marine Corps Col. Eldon Metzger, PMA-263 program manager, said the sale will work to aid Canada’s small tactical UAS capacity as well as interoperability with U.S. assets.
Boeing‘s Insitu subsidiary will build Canada’s Blackjack UAS system to feature five air vehicles, two ground control stations and launch and recovery equipment.
Blackjack is set to undergo a maiden shipboard deployment from USS San Antonio after the UAS conducted its first operational flight in July.
