JASDF Global Hawk presumed crashed off western Japan, surveillance gap looms

A Japan Air Self-Defense Force RQ-4 Global Hawk is presumed to have crashed off western Japan, reducing the JASDF's operational high-altitude surveillance fleet from three to two. The loss, if confirmed, would strain Japan's persistent wide-area ISR coverage over the East China Sea and Sea of Japan, particularly amid regional tensions. Cause of the crash remains unconfirmed, and recovery operations are ongoing.