Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force lost contact with a long-range RQ-4B Global Hawk surveillance drone on Tuesday, September 15, after it disappeared from radar 50 kilometers off the coast of Tottori.
The uncrewed aerial vehicle, deployed at Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture, is one of three similar drones operated by the air force to conduct long-range monitoring missions at altitudes up to 60,000 feet for continuous durations of up to 36 hours, according to The Associated Press.
This incident occurs against the backdrop of Japan’s continued adaptation of defense strategies and increased spending under the 2022 plan to counter growing regional assertiveness. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government is currently preparing new security and defense strategies, with publication expected later this year, while Beijing has criticized Tokyo’s ongoing defense buildup.
