The U.S. Navy handed over an unmanned aircraft system, known as RQ-21A Blackjack, to the Royal Thai Navy on Tuesday, as a part of a program funded by Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative (MSI).

 

The system includes five aircraft, two ground control stations, launch and recovery equipment and residential training in the United States.

 

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According to a statement from the U.S. embassy in Thailand, the RQ-21A Blackjack is an unmanned and unarmed aircraft system designed for maritime intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance. The system has a range of 50 nautical miles and can fly at a speed of 60 nautical miles per hour and can stay airborne for 16 hours.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/u-s-navy-hands-over-unmanned-aircraft-system-to-the-royal-thai-navy/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-05-24

 

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What a superb model aeroplane, I am sure that the Navy Divers will become extremely efficient at recovering them from the Gulf.

I assume that the Sailors will be taught how to use them,   just like riding a scooter !.

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

The U.S. Navy handed over an unmanned aircraft 

Makes sense.... 

 

The manned US aircrafts F-5 & F-16's haven't been flying well lately, pilots been crashing them. 

 

 

oh my lord. give it a week before it kills somebody.

There is a certain synergy - "unplaned" aircraft carriers, "unmotored" submarines and now unmanned aircraft!

Will this replace the missing submarine engines...

1 hour ago, PJPom said:

What a superb model aeroplane, I am sure that the Navy Divers will become extremely efficient at recovering them from the Gulf.

I assume that the Sailors will be taught how to use them,   just like riding a scooter !.

Hm,...I have seen Thais with R/C model aircraft's, and they where top notch !!!

About those F-35's you wanted to buy.

Handed over for free or is Lend Lease involved?

10 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

There is a certain synergy - "unplaned" aircraft carriers, "unmotored" submarines and now unmanned aircraft!

They can use the aircraft carrier for take off and landing of these nice UAV's.   

11 hours ago, off road pat said:

Hm,...I have seen Thais with R/C model aircraft's, and they where top notch !!!

True,

But they were  not  military grunts flying and maintaining them.

11 hours ago, off road pat said:

Hm,...I have seen Thais with R/C model aircraft's, and they where top notch !!!

You mean the Thais were top notch or the model aircraft you saw were top notch ?  What about Thais flying them and perhaps you could explain why no Thais have ever won an international competition  ? 

So my tax dollars follow me here. Where else can we waste some money?

Anything that lessens the number of Thai drivers of any vehicle is a good thing.

Thankfully its unarmed.

 

Otherwise we would soon be reading an article about how it sank a fishing boat killing all aboard due to a misunderstanding...

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

According to a statement from the U.S. embassy in Thailand, the RQ-21A Blackjack is an unmanned and unarmed aircraft system designed for maritime intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance. The system has a range of 50 nautical miles and can fly at a speed of 60 nautical miles per hour and can stay airborne for 16 hours.

Those naughty Thai fishermen will be quaking i their waders.

Somehow I see this as being someone's latest "toy".  Better not crash it!!

Unmanned aircraft... that is just soooo PERFECT for the Thai army. ????

23 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The system has a range of 50 nautical miles and can fly at a speed of 60 nautical miles per hour and can stay airborne for 16 hours.

Airborne for max of 16 hours with a 50 nmh range is an average speed of just over 3 nmph.......????

Damn, but they wanted submarines... ????

they were already flown in Thailand in March. https://aagth1.blogspot.com/2022/03/marcus-b-rq-21-blackjack-uav.html

With 8 years already in use they are probably not  the newest generation. And the gifted model might not be a brand new, but already decommissioned. Details are usually not disclosed, as it's military secret.

There is a chance for the USA that with this gift a proper order from Thailand will follow. 

This system consist of 5 drones with 90km range. To properly cover costal borders thailand needs tens of them. Australia has just ordered 24.

 

Thai army has history of buying decommissioned USA equipment at very inflated price, many times over their market value.

"Army balloon deflated"

"The surveillance dirigible that cost us at least Bt400 million provided zero assistance in calming the troubled South"

https://www.nationthailand.com/perspective/30327104