BlackJack UAS Completes Intelligence, Surveillance Mission In Afghanistan

US Naval Air systems has released a video Thursday of a Marine from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 2 recovers a Blackjack unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in Afghanistan.

The small UAS returned from its first early operational deployment Sept. 10 after flying nearly 1,000 hours in 119 days in theatre. 

It supplied Marines with full-motion video and other intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support that helped keep them out of harm’s way. Marines will use these early operational capability systems as a training asset. 

Blackjack is scheduled to complete shipboard testing in the fall with the first ship-based deployment scheduled for spring 2015.