Canada Acquires UAS Technology From United States
Canada is set to acquire the RQ-21A Blackjack UAS from the United States. The acquisition is under a $14.2 million foreign military sales contract, and Canada will become the first foreign operator of this UAS.
The Blackjack system, which is comprised of five UAS, two ground control stations, and one launch and recovery system, will be used for surveillance and reconnaissance. Each aircraft has a flight time of 12-plus hours and can cover more than 100 kilometers in distance.
“The Blackjack aerial surveillance system will provide the Canadian Armed Forces with modern, sophisticated technology that will give commanders the situational awareness they need to conduct missions effectively,” said Canadian defense minister Harjit Sajjan in an article from Army-Technology. “We are pleased to work cooperatively with the U.S. government and the U.S. Navy to bring this leading-edge technology to Canada.”
Canada Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy M. Foote added, “Buying innovative and proven defense technology directly from our allies is just one of the many ways in which the government of Canada is able to deliver the right equipment to the Canadian Armed Forces at the best value for Canadians.”
