Japan ASDF Loses Contact with Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft

Dragon Media News Desk

Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force is searching for a Global Hawk unmanned aircraft after losing communication with it over the Sea of Japan.

According to local media reports, contact with the aircraft was lost at around 1 p.m. local time on Tuesday while it was flying approximately 50 kilometres off the coast of Tottori Prefecture in western Japan.

Kyodo News reported that the Air Self-Defense Force has launched efforts to determine the aircraft’s status and locate its possible position.

The Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned surveillance aircraft designed for wide-area reconnaissance and intelligence collection. Japan uses the platform to strengthen aerial surveillance and security monitoring.

The cause of the communication loss has not yet been confirmed. Japanese authorities are investigating whether the aircraft suffered a technical failure or encountered another problem during the flight.