Belgian army to buy RQ-20 Puma and RQ-21 Integrator drones.

The Belgian Defense ministry will buy new drones in collaboration with Dutch and Luxembourg colleagues, Belga news agency reports. The Council of Ministers gave its approval for this on December 18.
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A U.S. Marine launches an RQ-20B Puma UAV in Setermoen, Norway, Feb. 11, 2019 (Picture source: U.S. Marine Corps)

The Belgian army purchase concerns four mini-UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) of the type RQ-20 Puma, which are produced by the Californian AeroVironment, and two Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (TUAS) of the type RQ-21 Integrator. These are provided by Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing.

The Puma in its LE version (Long Endurance) is complementary to the mini-UAS of the type RQ-11 Raven that the Land Component (Ground Force) already uses today. The aircraft is 1.40 meters long, has a wingspan of 2.80 meters and weighs 6.3 kilos. The purchase is part of a Benelux cooperation (BElgium-NEtherlands-Luxembourg) and will be done through a NATO agency.

The Integrator is 2.50 meters long, has a 4.90 meter wingspan and can weigh up to 65.8 kilos. To formalize this contract, a memorandum of understanding will follow with the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

U.S. Marines with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1 prepare to launch an RQ-21 Blackjack UAS during Weapons and Tactics Instructors Course (WTI) 1-18 at Yuma, Ariz., on Oct. 13, 2017 (Picture source; U.S. DoD/Lance Cpl. Rhita Daniel)