Click to see full-size image. (Japan Ministry of Defense)
A Japanese RQ-4B Global Hawk surveillance drone went missing on September 15 over the Sea of Japan after the Japan Air Self-Defense Force lost communication with the aircraft during what officials described as a training flight, according to Japanese media.
Contact was lost at about 12:58 p.m. local time while the unmanned aircraft was flying roughly 50 kilometers off the coast of Tottori Prefecture in western Japan, Kyodo News reported.
The Air Self-Defense Force launched a search operation, while the Japan Coast Guard later said debris believed to have come from the Global Hawk was found at sea.
The military did not disclose the purpose of the flight beyond describing it as training or provide details on what caused the loss of communication.
The aircraft is part of Japan’s small fleet of three RQ-4Bs, which entered service at Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture between 2022 and 2023. Japan selected the Global Hawk to expand long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities without putting pilots at risk.
Built by Northrop Grumman, the RQ-4B is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft designed to remain airborne for more than 30 hours. It has a wingspan of about 40 meters, a length of 14.5 meters and can operate at altitudes around 60,000 feet. The aircraft carries advanced surveillance systems including radar and electro-optical and infrared sensors, allowing it to monitor large areas from high altitude.
Japan’s acquisition began in 2015 under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program. Washington approved a possible sale of three RQ-4 Block 30 aircraft and associated equipment for an estimated $1.2 billion, a package that included ground systems, training, spare parts, logistics and other support.
The overall package worked out to roughly $400 million per aircraft when averaged across the three, although that figure does not represent the price of an individual airframe. A later U.S. contract covering the three aircraft was valued at about $490 million, or roughly $163 million per aircraft, before accounting for the broader support package.
The latest incident leaves Japan with two operational Global Hawks if the recovered debris is confirmed to be from the missing aircraft.
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