Key facts
- Japan's Air Self-Defense Force lost communication with its Global Hawk drone on Tuesday.
- The drone is considered missing and a search is underway.
- The Global Hawk is designed for intelligence gathering and persistent airborne monitoring.
- Japan has purchased three RQ-4B Global Hawk drones from Northrop Grumman.
- The drones are equipped with synthetic aperture radar, infrared/electro-optical sensors, and signals-intelligence equipment.
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force announced on Tuesday that it lost communication with its unmanned Global Hawk drone operating off the coast of Tottori prefecture in western Japan. The aircraft is considered missing, and the Self-Defense Force is conducting a search. The RQ-4B Global Hawk, designed by Northrop Grumman, is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle intended to strengthen Japan’s surveillance capabilities. It is equipped with synthetic aperture radar, infrared/electro-optical sensors, and signals-intelligence equipment. Japan has purchased three of these drones, with the first arriving in March 2022. The JASDF established a dedicated unit, the Air Reconnaissance Group, to operate the drones, training with the U.S. Air Force. The Global Hawks are housed at the Misawa Air Base and are intended for information gathering in areas remote from Japan and for persistent airborne monitoring during heightened tensions, according to the JASDF. Jane Bishop, vice president and general manager of autonomous systems for Northrop Grumman, stated that the Global Hawk provides on-demand intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance information supporting Japan’s missions of protecting borders, monitoring threats, and providing humanitarian assistance.