Breaking News: Japan’s Global Hawk Loses Lost Off the Coast—First Time Ever One of the Three Aircraft in Service Has Gone Missing

 

Breaking News: Japan’s Global Hawk Loses Communication Off the Coast—First Time Ever One of the Three Aircraft in Service Has Gone Missing

RQ-4B Global Hawk Unmanned Reconnaissance Aircraft (Japan Air Self-Defense Force)

• Tuesday, September 15,7:00 p.m.JST

NHK News reported that an RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance aircraft of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (jASDF)’s Misawa Air Base lost communication at approximately 12:58 p.m. on September 15 while flying over the ocean about 50 kilometers off the coast of Tottori Prefecture. Chief of the Air Staff of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force General Takehiro Morita, revealed this during a press conference held the same day. It is currently unknown whether the aircraft crashed, and the Self-Defense Forces are continuing their search.

Communication Lost Approximately 50 Kilometers Off the Coast of Tottori Prefecture

According to the Chief of the Air Staff, the aircraft that lost communication was one RQ-4B Global Hawk assigned to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s Misawa Base. Communication was lost at 12:58 p.m. on the 15th over the ocean approximately 50 kilometers off the coast of Tottori Prefecture.

In response, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi issued three instructions at 1:29 p.m.: (1) to assess the status of the aircraft and conduct a prompt search; (2) to confirm the extent of damage in the surrounding area; and (3) to promptly provide information to the relevant local governments.

This is the first time a JASDF Global Hawk has gone missing

JASDF operates three RQ-4B Global Hawks, all of which are deployed at Misawa Air Base, northern part of the Honshu Island. The Chief of the Air Staff revealed that this is the “first time” a Global Hawk owned by the JASDF has gone missing.

When asked whether the aircraft was conducting a training exercise at the time communications were lost, he replied, “It was not a training exercise.” However, he did not disclose details regarding whether it was engaged in any mission, such as surveillance or patrol.

The RQ-4B is an unmanned aerial vehicle with no pilot on board. Authorities are currently investigating whether there were any abnormalities with the aircraft prior to the loss of communication.

Update, 7:18pm, September 15,  JST

JASDF acknowledged that the missing RQ-4B must have been crashed as the floating debris were found to be parts of the aircraft.