US to deploy reconnaissance drones to East China Sea amid rising tensions with China

The United States will deploy MQ-4C Triton reconnaissance drones to Okinawa in the coming weeks to enhance intelligence-gathering capabilities amid rising regional tensions.

Speaking at a press conference on April 8, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said the advanced unmanned aircraft will operate out of Kadena Air Base for an indefinite period, Caliber.Az reports via Japanese media.

The deployment is part of ongoing efforts to bolster surveillance under the Japan-U.S. security alliance.

The MQ-4C Triton, with a wingspan of approximately 40 meters, is designed for high-altitude, long-endurance missions and can cover significantly wider areas compared to the smaller MQ-9 Reaper drones, which have been stationed at the same base since 2023.

This is not the first appearance of the Tritons in the region. The U.S. military previously deployed two MQ-4Cs to Kadena on a temporary basis from May to October last year.

The southern Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, along with neighboring islands, faces the East China Sea, a strategically important area where Chinese military activity has been steadily increasing. The introduction of the Tritons is seen as a strategic step to monitor developments more effectively and reinforce regional stability.

By Khagan Isayev