RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Air System Completes First Ship-Based Flight

The Navy’s RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Air System (STUAS) completed its first flight at sea Feb. 10 from the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19).

The system completed three months of land-based trial flights at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, Calif., before launching from a LPD-class ship.

The photograph shows the RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Air System (STUAS) is recovered with the flight recovery apparatus cable on the flight deck of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) after its first flight at sea. Mesa Verde is underway conducting exercises in the Gulf of Mexico.

Related Topic Tags

• RQ-21A, Small UAV, UAS, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, unmanned air system

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