In recent days, both the USAF Global Hawk and the NATO Phoenix (an RQ-4B and an RQ-4D, respectively) experienced communication losses while flying over Finland and Estonia and had to return to NAS Sigonella, where they had departed from. The cause of these incidents is unknown, but it is possible that strong Russian jamming in the area interfered with the drones’ signal reception.
Yesterday both RQ-4 drones over Nordics broadcasted emergency messages indicating they lost radio communication.
— auonsson (@auonsson) August 30, 2024
FORTE14 returned to Sicily, but as far as I have found MAGMA10 is still unaccounted for (quite possibly intentionally not visible). https://t.co/0XVFDKfWy9
Nevertheless, today, a USAF Northrop Grumman RQ-4B (reg. 10-2045 – c/s FORTE16) has resumed a mission in the Baltic area, around Kaliningrad, after taking off this morning from Sigonella. Today’s mission is proceeding normally