Bangladesh to Establish Joint Army-Navy RQ-21 Blackjack UAS Regiment with U.S. Support

Reading Time: 2 minutes Bangladesh is preparing to launch a new era in its unmanned aerial capabilities with the upcoming induction of the RQ-21 Blackjack system, in partnership with the United States. According to the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, the program has not yet been raised or delivered but is scheduled to commence soon. A joint regiment, composed of Army and Navy personnel, will be formed to operate the new system once it arrives. The RQ-21 Blackjack is a proven unmanned aerial system designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. It has an endurance of over 16 hours, a range of 50 kilometres, and can carry multiple payloads, including electro-optical and infrared sensors, communications relay packages, and electronic warfare systems. Launched via a pneumatic rail and recovered using a skyhook system, it is highly adaptable for operations from both land bases and naval vessels. For Bangladesh, which faces complex