snoop1130 Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 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. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe 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 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post PJPom Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 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 !. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAFETY FIRST Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post NE1 Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 oh my lord. give it a week before it kills somebody. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post herfiehandbag Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 There is a certain synergy - "unplaned" aircraft carriers, "unmotored" submarines and now unmanned aircraft! 3 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petermik Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 Will this replace the missing submarine engines... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post off road pat Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 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 !!! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LomSak27 Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 About those F-35's you wanted to buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 Handed over for free or is Lend Lease involved? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ThailandRyan Posted May 24, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2022 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. 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orinoco Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 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. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excel Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 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 ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzian Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 So my tax dollars follow me here. Where else can we waste some money? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebell Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 Anything that lessens the number of Thai drivers of any vehicle is a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poskat Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 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... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotchilli Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanuman2547 Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 Somehow I see this as being someone's latest "toy". Better not crash it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misterwhisper Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 Unmanned aircraft... that is just soooo PERFECT for the Thai army. ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PETERTHEEATER Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 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.......???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StayinThailand2much Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 Damn, but they wanted submarines... ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
internationalism Posted May 26, 2022 Share Posted May 26, 2022 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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