Insitu to build Blackjacks for US forces
Insitu has been awarded a contract to build six RQ-21A Blackjack UAS for the US Marine Corps (USMC) and US Navy, the company announced on 30 July.
The $78-million Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (STUAS) Lot IV Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract progresses the programme towards the Initial Operational Test and Evaluation phase. The RQ-21A Blackjack is a variant of the company's Integrator UAS.
Insitu was awarded the STUAS engineering manufacturing development contract in 2010 to develop the RQ-21A Blackjack. It delivered the first LRIP system in 2014 after achieving milestone C in 2013.
The RQ-21A Blackjack features electro-optic and mid-wave infrared sensors with an infrared marker and laser rangefinder. Various payload options are available for land and maritime missions.
Col Eldon Metzger, program manager for the navy and marine corps STUAS, said: 'This award will increase the number of systems to the fleet and bring a greater footprint and capability to the marine air-ground task force and naval special warfare teams to meet operational demands.
Ryan Hartman, president and CEO, Insitu, said: 'Blackjack will deliver unparalleled organic intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage. We are proud to support the navy and marines and provide a capability that helps them rapidly deploy the system into a warfighting environment.'
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures]()
Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
-
![L3Harris launches Amorphous software for control of uncrewed platforms]()
L3Harris launches Amorphous software for control of uncrewed platforms
The new Amorphous software is a universal controller that would allow a single operator to control a swarm of “thousands” of uncrewed systems, from drones to underwater platforms.
-
![ideaForge unveils new UAVs at Aero India 2025]()
ideaForge unveils new UAVs at Aero India 2025
India UAV supplier ideaForge has launched the Netra 5 and Switch V2 drones at Aero India 2025, boasting of enhanced endurance, AI-driven autonomy and improved operational capabilities.
-
![Shaping the future of defence: What 2025 holds for the global drone market]()
Shaping the future of defence: What 2025 holds for the global drone market
The UAV market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with innovations in technology and battlefield applications driving demand across military sectors. From the battlefields of Ukraine to NATO exercises and beyond, drones are transforming how wars are fought and supported.
-
![Maris-Tech confirms customers signing up for Jupiter Drones codec and AI-powered system]()
Maris-Tech confirms customers signing up for Jupiter Drones codec and AI-powered system
Launched at AUSA in October, the company’s multi-stream video codec is attempting to bring a new lease of life to drone technology through its AI accelerator.
-
![AUSA 2024: Quantum-Systems targets big 2025 with UAS developments]()
AUSA 2024: Quantum-Systems targets big 2025 with UAS developments
Quantum-Systems has been upgrading its UAS family, with new versions of the Vector, Reliant and Twister drones set for release throughout 2025.
