Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing...Q-21_Blackjack

The Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack, formerly called the Integrator, is an
American unmanned air vehicle designed and built by Boeing Insitu to meet a
United States Navy requirement for a small tactical unmanned air system (STUAS).
It is a twin-boom, single-engine, monoplane, designed as a supplement to the
Boeing Scan Eagle. The Integrator weighs 61 kg (135 lb) and uses the same
launcher and recovery system as the Scan Eagle.

The RQ-21A Integrator first flew on 28 July 2012. On 10 September 2012, the
Integrator entered developmental testing with a 66-minute flight. The Navy
launched one using a pneumatic launcher and a recovery system known as Skyhook.
This eliminates the need for runways and enables a safe recovery and
expeditionary capability for tactical missions on land or sea. At the current
testing rate, Initial Operational Capability (IOC) was expected in 2013.

On 10 February 2013, the Integrator completed its first at-sea flight from the
USS Mesa Verde, a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock. This followed
completing three months of land-based flights.

On 19 February 2013, Insitu completed the first flight of the RQ-21A Block II.
It weighs 121 lb and flew for 2 hours. It was controlled by a new ground control
system meant to integrate dissimilar UAV systems. The Block II has the sensor
from the Nighteagle, the night version of the ScanEagle, and is designed to
operate in high-temperature environments.

On 15 May 2013, the Department of the Navy announced that the RQ-21A Integrator
received Milestone C approval authorizing the start of low rate initial
production. With Milestone C approval, the Integrator entered production and
deployment.

The RQ-21A Blackjack is designed to support the U.S. Marine Corps by providing
forward reconnaissance. A Blackjack system is composed of five air vehicles and
two ground control systems. The air vehicles can be launched on land or on a
ship by a rail and land using a "skyhook" recovery system, where a vertical wire
must be hooked onto its wing; when on the ground, the launch and recovery
systems are towable by vehicles. Its wingspan is 16 ft (4.9 m) and it can carry
a 39 lb (18 kg) payload. The day/night camera can achieve resolution rating of 7
on the NIIRS scale at 8,000 ft (2,400 m).

The Marines are working with Insitu to modify the Blackjack fuselage to carry
greater and more various payloads. Enlarging the fuselage would increase its
maximum takeoff weight from 135 lb (61 kg) to 145 lb (66 kg) and lengthen
endurance from 16 hours to 24 hours. New turrets are being explored as well as
other payloads including a synthetic aperture radar to track ground targets, a
laser designator to mark targets for precision-guided munitions, and
foliage-penetration capabilities for foreign customers operating in lush
environments. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) plans to add a sensor to the
Blackjack that combines an electro-optical camera, wide area imager, short wave
infrared hyperspectral imager, and a high-resolution camera for use as an
inspection sensor into a single payload by 2020.


Role
Unmanned air vehicle

National origin
United States

Manufacturer
Insitu wholly owned subsidiary of
Boeing Defense, Space & Security

First flight
28 July 2012

Introduction
April 2014

Status
In service

Primary users
United States Marine Corps
United States Navy

Number built
109 systems with 5 air vehicles each (estimated through FY2017)

Program cost
US$559 million (estimated U.S. DoD cost for 104 systems through FY2017)

Developed from
Boeing Insitu ScanEagle

The U.S. Marine Corps deployed its first RQ-21A Blackjack system to Afghanistan
in late April 2014. One Blackjack system is composed of five air vehicles, two
ground control systems, and launch and recovery support equipment. It supports
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions using
multi-intelligence payloads including day and night full-motion video cameras,
an infrared marker, a laser range finder, a communications relay package, and
automatic identification system receivers. The models in Afghanistan were early
operational capability (EOC) aircraft without shipboard software or testing.
Deploying the aircraft on the ground was a method to detect and fix problems
early to avoid delaying the project. The RQ-21 returned from its deployment on
10 September 2014 after flying nearly 1,000 hours in 119 days in theater. EOC
Blackjacks will continue to be used for training, while completion of shipboard
testing is planned to result in the system's first ship-based deployment in
spring 2015.

The Marine Corps declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the RQ-21A
Blackjack in January 2016. During the summer of 2016, MARSOC deployed the RQ-21A
to Iraq.

Full rate productions of the RQ-21A has been delayed because of serious system
quality issues. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) issued reviews on
the program in 2013, 2014, and 2015. The 2015 report indicates that many of
these issues have not been resolved, despite OSD reporting issues in previous
years. The 2015 report stated that the RQ-21A was "not operationally effective",
"not operationally suitable", that the "system has exploitable cyber security
vulnerabilities, and the overall assessment pointed out several major
requirements failures. One RQ-21A was reported shot down over Tartus, Syria on
May 27,2017.

Specifications

General characteristics
Length: 8.2 ft (2.5 m)
Wingspan: 16 ft (4.9 m)
Empty weight: 81 lb (37 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 135 lb (61 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × EFI Piston Engine, 8 hp (6.0 kW)
Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance
Maximum speed: 86 mph (138 km/h; 75 kn)
Cruise speed: 63 mph (101 km/h; 55 kn)
Range: 58 mi; 93 km (50 nmi)
Endurance: 16 hours
Service ceiling: 19,500 ft (5,900 m)




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