A large unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, the Global Hawk, operated by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, has lost communication during flight.

Japanese media reported that the Air Self-Defense Force believes the aircraft is presumed to have crashed.

According to NHK and Kyodo News on the 15th, the Air Self-Defense Force announced that communication was cut off at around 1:00 p.m. today with one Global Hawk belonging to the Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture, over international waters about 50 kilometers off the coast of Tottori Prefecture.

Japanese media reported that as a result of searches conducted by Self-Defense Force aircraft and vessels, objects believed to be aircraft debris were discovered in nearby waters, and the Air Self-Defense Force presumes the drone has crashed.

The Global Hawk that lost communication took off from Misawa Air Base at around 10:20 a.m. today.

However, the Air Self-Defense Force stated that the aircraft was not on a training mission at the time, though it did not disclose specific details.

It was reported that no damage has been confirmed so far.

The Global Hawk is a high-altitude unmanned reconnaissance aircraft developed in the U.S. with a length of approximately 15 meters, capable of continuous flight for 36 hours.

It is characterized by its ability to perform reconnaissance and surveillance from an altitude of about 20 kilometers using high-performance infrared cameras.

The Air Self-Defense Force currently operates three Global Hawks, all based at Misawa Air Base.

This is the first time a Global Hawk has experienced a communication loss incident in Japan since they were introduced in 2022.

Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro has instructed officials to conduct prompt search operations, check for any damage in surrounding areas, and quickly provide information to local governments.

(Photo: Getty Images)