Japan's "Global Hawk" Drone Goes Missing for the First Time, Suspected to Have Crashed
[Global Times Correspondent in Japan, Liu Wenzhang] On the 15th, Kyodo News reported that a Japan Air Self-Defense Force RQ-4B "Global Hawk" large unmanned reconnaissance aircraft lost contact over the sea off the coast of Tottori Prefecture in the afternoon. This is the first time since Japan introduced this type of drone that it has gone missing. The latest news indicates that the Japan Air Self-Defense Force presumes the drone has crashed, and suspected debris has been found floating. Currently, the Japan Coast Guard is still conducting the search.
The Air Self-Defense Force stated that the loss of contact occurred at around 12:58 local time, approximately 50 kilometers north of Tottori Prefecture over the high seas of the Sea of Japan. Air Staff Chief Morita Yoshihiro stated that the aircraft was "not in training" at the time of the loss, but did not specify the exact mission. Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro called for a swift understanding of the situation, the initiation of a search, confirmation of any damage in the surrounding area, and notification to local governments. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru stated that there have been no reports of damage to personnel or property outside of the Self-Defense Forces.
The Japan Coast Guard subsequently reported that suspected debris from the aircraft was found floating near Tottori, and patrol boats have joined the search. Aircraft from the Air Self-Defense Force and vessels from the Maritime Self-Defense Force are simultaneously conducting aerial and maritime searches.
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has a total of three "Global Hawks," all of which have been deployed at Misawa Air Base since 2022, and are said to be capable of sustained flight for about 36 hours for so-called "surveillance monitoring." According to previous reports from Japanese media and explanations from the Ministry of Defense, the mission of the aircraft is to conduct long-term surveillance and reconnaissance around Japan.
Analysts have noted that this loss of contact comes at a time when Japan is continuously increasing its defense budget and strengthening offensive military deployments, and the first "disappearance" of its expensive U.S.-made reconnaissance equipment further exposes the risks and vulnerabilities behind Japan's military expansion and preparations for war.
A Japan Air Self-Defense Force RQ-4B Global Hawk UAV lost contact over the Sea of Japan around 12:58 local time and is presumed to have crashed. Debris believed to be from the UAV has been discovered, prompting ongoing search efforts by the Japan Coast Guard and Self-Defense Forces. This incident marks the first loss of this UAV model since its deployment in Japan.
- A Japan Air Self-Defense Force RQ-4B Global Hawk UAV lost contact over the Sea of Japan.
- The incident occurred approximately 50 kilometers north of Tottori Prefecture.
- Debris suspected to be from the UAV has been found in the area.
- The UAV was not on a training mission at the time of the incident.
- This is the first reported loss of this type of UAV since its introduction to Japan.