This morning we’revtracking a mission carried out by an USNavy Northrop Grumman MQ-4C (reg. 169804, c/s BLACKCAT5).
The drone followed a significant trajectory, taking off from NAS Sigonella and heading south, flying along the Sicilian Channel, passing west of Malta, and then heading toward the Libyan coast, near Tripoli and Benghazi. The route includes a series of turns and loops, typical of surveillance or patrol missions.
The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton is a high-altitude drone primarily designed for maritime reconnaissance missions, and its presence in this area highlights the strategic interest of the United States and NATO in monitoring the coasts of North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. This area is crucial for controlling migration flows, countering terrorism, and protecting energy resources.
The presence of this drone may be related to maritime surveillance operations, monitoring naval activities, or preventing illegal trafficking in this geopolitically sensitive area. Libya, in particular, remains a critical point for regional stability, and reconnaissance missions like this are common to monitor suspicious activities or militia movements.
Moreover, the fact that the aircraft departed from Sicily underscores the strategic importance of Italian military bases in the Mediterranean for NATO and U.S. operations.