Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack

Lore & Background

The RQ-21 was selected in June 2010 over the Raytheon Killer Bee, AAI Aerosonde, and General Dynamics/Elbit Systems Storm. The RQ-21A Integrator first flew on 28 July 2012, and on 10 September 2012 entered developmental testing with a 66-minute flight launched by a pneumatic launcher and recovered using the Skyhook system. On 10 February 2013, it completed its first at-sea flight from the USS Mesa Verde. The Block II variant first flew on 19 February 2013, weighing 121 lb and flying for 2 hours, controlled by a new ground control system. The RQ-21A received Milestone C approval on 15 May 2013, authorizing low-rate initial production. In September 2013, the Integrator was renamed the RQ-21A Blackjack. The first low-rate production aircraft began Integrated Operational Test and Evaluation in January 2014. The U.S. Marine Corps deployed its first Blackjack system to Afghanistan in late April 2014, flying nearly 1,000 hours in 119 days. The system achieved full operational capability in 2019. In Marines service, the Blackjack sometimes uses the designation MQ-21, where the 'M' prefix indicates a multipurpose operations platform.

Reader's Guide

The RQ-21A Blackjack represents a significant step in small tactical unmanned air systems, providing the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps with a runway-independent reconnaissance platform. Its use of the same launcher and recovery system as the Scan Eagle simplified logistics, while its twin-boom design and payload capacity allowed for day/night cameras, infrared markers, laser range finders, and communications relays. The Blackjack's deployment to Afghanistan in 2014 demonstrated its operational value, flying nearly 1,000 hours in 119 days. The system's ability to operate from ships and land, combined with its Skyhook recovery, gave expeditionary forces persistent ISR without fixed infrastructure. The Marines phased out the RQ-7 Shadow in favor of the Blackjack in July 2018. The platform's full operational capability in 2019 and a rare 100% Mission Capable and Fully Mission Capable rate in April 2021 underscore its reliability. Variants include the CU-172 for Canada, and operators span Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, the Netherlands, Poland, the United States, and an unidentified Middle Eastern customer. The Office of Naval Research planned to add a multi-sensor payload by 2020.

Did You Know?

• The RQ-21A Blackjack uses the same pneumatic launcher and Skyhook recovery system as the Boeing Scan Eagle.
• The U.S. Marine Corps deployed the first Blackjack system to Afghanistan in late April 2014.
• The Blackjack achieved a 100% Mission Capable and 100% Fully Mission Capable rate in April 2021.