AeroVironment Blackwing

AeroVironment · United States · first flew 2016 · reconnaissance aircraft

The AeroVironment Blackwing is a small electrically-powered tube-launched unmanned aerial vehicle designed to be deployed from a submerged submarine via a signal ejector tube, providing covert ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) capability.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	0.5 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Submarine-launched tube-deployed micro-UAV
Electric motor powered, expendable design
Fits standard submarine signal ejector tube

An extremely small fixed-wing UAV with folding wings for tube storage; the wings deploy after ejection. At roughly 0.76 m long with a 1.52 m wingspan, it would be nearly invisible in the air at any distance.

Specifications

The AeroVironment Blackwing has a length of 0.5 m (2 ft).
It has a wingspan of 0.69 m (2 ft).
Its maximum speed is 100 km/h (62 mph).
Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed by AeroVironment under US Navy contract, the Blackwing entered development in the early 2010s and achieved initial operational capability around 2016. It represents a significant capability for providing submarines with over-the-horizon situational awareness without surfacing.

Variants

The Blackwing is a single design tailored for submarine launch; it represents an evolution of AeroVironment's smaller Switchblade and Wasp UAV concepts adapted for the unique submarine deployment environment.

Where you'll see it

Operated by the United States Navy aboard submarines, the Blackwing provides covert persistent ISR coverage and is recoverable or expendable depending on the mission.

Related aircraft

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