MOSCOW, Oct. 19 According to the FlightRadar24 website, American intelligence The RQ-4B Global Hawk drone sounded an alarm over the Black Sea.
After signal 7600 was given, the drone began to move away from Crimea and headed towards Sicily.
Screenshot of the flightradar24 website page. October 19, 2023
Special code 7600 means loss of connection.
American reconnaissance drones regularly appear over the Black Sea. So, last week, the Russian military scrambled a Su-27 fighter due to the Global Hawk approaching the state border. Only after this did the drone change course.
RQ-4 Global Hawk is a strategic drone of the largest class. The wingspan, depending on the version, is up to 40 meters (for comparison: the wingspan of the passenger SuperJet 100 is approximately 28 meters). The take-off weight of the device exceeds 14 tons, the maximum ceiling is up to 20 kilometers. Global Hawk can stay in the air for up to 36 hours and fly to a range of more than 22 thousand kilometers. The drone is equipped with various reconnaissance equipment, including radar, optical-location system and infrared sensors.
NATO Sigonella Air Base, where American drones are permanently based, is located in Sicily.