snoop1130 23678 Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 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 post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post PJPom 2215 Posted May 24 Popular Post Share Posted May 24 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 post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAFETY FIRST 3310 Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 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 post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post NE1 2610 Posted May 24 Popular Post Share Posted May 24 oh my lord. give it a week before it kills somebody. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post herfiehandbag 9655 Posted May 24 Popular Post Share Posted May 24 There is a certain synergy - "unplaned" aircraft carriers, "unmotored" submarines and now unmanned aircraft! 3 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
petermik 21524 Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 Will this replace the missing submarine engines... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post off road pat 2278 Posted May 24 Popular Post Share Posted May 24 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 post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LomSak27 6597 Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 About those F-35's you wanted to buy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat 4893 Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 Handed over for free or is Lend Lease involved? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ThailandRyan 47563 Posted May 24 Popular Post Share Posted May 24 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 post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orinoco 3135 Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 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 post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excel 11679 Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 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 post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzian 2252 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 So my tax dollars follow me here. Where else can we waste some money? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebell 18219 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 Anything that lessens the number of Thai drivers of any vehicle is a good thing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
poskat 2625 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 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 post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotchilli 40596 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 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 post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanuman2547 985 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 Somehow I see this as being someone's latest "toy". Better not crash it!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misterwhisper 19558 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 Unmanned aircraft... that is just soooo PERFECT for the Thai army. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PETERTHEEATER 5132 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 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 post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StayinThailand2much 5562 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 Damn, but they wanted submarines... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
internationalism 6925 Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 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 post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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