Overview
- The MQ-4C Triton, which flew Thursday under callsign BLKCAT6, traced long holding patterns near Santiago de Cuba and Havana before returning to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, according to Flightradar24.
- Flight data and OSINT posts showed the Navy drone operating around 49,000 feet for hours, with experts noting it was an unusual sighting so close to Cuba.
- U.S. Southern Command declined to discuss operational plans, while USA Today reported, citing two unnamed sources, that contingency planning related to Cuba is being developed.
- The Triton is a long-endurance maritime surveillance aircraft built by Northrop Grumman that can stay aloft for more than 24 hours, and the Navy confirmed a separate MQ-4C was lost in a Class A mishap on April 9 in the Persian Gulf.
- Tracking officials say similar drones have been active in the Black Sea, Mediterranean, Persian Gulf, and near Venezuela, suggesting a wider U.S. push to keep watch over key sea lanes and regional pressure points.