Analysts point to Russian and Chinese EW in advanced Triton UAV missing

A U.S. Navy MQ‑4C Triton unmanned surveillance aircraft vanished from radar south of Iran in the Persian Gulf on February 21 or 22, according to reporting by Defence Network. The state‑of‑the‑art drone had taken off from Abu Dhabi and was carrying out routine long‑range reconnaissance at around 32,900 feet when it sent a distress signal and subsequently lost contact.

Defence Network cites expert assessments suggesting that electronic warfare systems developed by Russia or China may have been used to disrupt the drone’s signal, potentially paving the way for it to be physically downed by a kinetic strike. The report notes that the disappearance occurred at a moment when tensions between the United States and Iran had reached a critical point.

The MQ‑4C Triton, operated by the U.S. Navy, is a high‑altitude, long‑endurance (HALE) maritime ISR platform designed to detect, track and classify objects over vast areas, relaying data in real time to naval and allied forces. It is built to operate for more than 24 hours at altitudes above 50,000 feet and can cover thousands of miles during extended patrols.

The aircraft’s advanced surveillance capabilities have made it a key component of U.S. monitoring missions in contested regions such as the Persian Gulf, where commercial shipping lanes and strategic waterways are regularly patrolled amid persistent geopolitical friction.

The circumstances surrounding the loss of the drone remain unclear, and no official U.S. military confirmation has been released at this time.

By Tamilla Hasanova