WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US Navy has awarded Boeing-owned Insitu drone manufacturer a more than $8-million contract to produce Blackjack drones for the Marine Corps, the Department of Defense announced in a press release.
"Insitu Inc. is being awarded $8,029,090 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise an option for the procurement of one full rate production Lot I RQ-21A Blackjack Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for the Marine Corps," the release stated on Monday.
The Blackjack drone consists of five air vehicles, two ground control stations as well as launch and recovery equipment, according to the Defense Department.
A single Blackjack is eight feet long with a wingspan of 16 feet and endurance up to 16 hours.
The Blackjack can carry day/night full-motion video cameras, infrared markers, laser range finders and communications relay packages.
