The U.S. Navy is set to buy the Blackwing micro-UAV for its nuclear-powered attack and guided missile submarines, the U.S. Naval Institute reports.
Photo: NAVSEA-AUTEC
Rear Adm. Charles Richard, Director of Undersea Warfare, said 150 unmanned aerial vehicles will be bought as part of the Fiscal Year 2017 budget.
![Screen-Shot-2016-03-31-at-6.43.59-PM[1]](http://alert5.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Screen-Shot-2016-03-31-at-6.43.59-PM1.png)
NAVSEA Image
Richard also mentioned about buying 12 torpedo tube launched vehicles which could be the Sea Robin that was successfully tested in 2013.
Blackwing UAV is stored in a three-inch canister that will be launched from the sub’s acoustic countermeasures system.
Previous briefings by the Advanced Weapons Enhanced by Submarine UAS against Mobile targets (AWESUM) program office says the UAV is ideal for Over-the-horizon (OTH) targeting missions.