Media: US reconnaissance drone circles Black Sea near Crimea

A US reconnaissance drone has been detected operating over the Black Sea near Sevastopol.

The information was published by the Telegram channel Shot, citing Russian sources.

The unmanned aerial vehicle is identified as an RQ-4 Global Hawk reconnaissance drone with the call sign FORTE10. Its flight activity was observed from the direction of Sevastopol, and it is believed to be conducting surveillance missions while flying circular patterns close to Crimea.

According to Shot, the drone reportedly took off several hours earlier from NATO’s naval air base at Sigonella Air Base. It then flew over Greece and Bulgaria, spent some time circling near the Bulgarian city of Varna, and subsequently moved into a patrol position over the Black Sea.

The RQ-4 Global Hawk is capable of operating at altitudes of up to 18,000 meters and can cover distances exceeding 12,300 nautical miles, or approximately 23,000 kilometres. Its autonomous flight endurance can reach as long as 36 hours.

By Tamilla Hasanova