A North Atlantic Treaty Organization reconnaissance drone has been spotted flying over neutral waters in the southern part of the Black Sea, according to a report by Russian news agency TASS citing European Union air traffic control sources.
The unmanned aircraft, identified as an RQ-4D Phoenix, took off from the Sigonella military base located on the Italian island of Sicily. It completed several loops over the international maritime zone before turning back toward its base.
Air traffic control data indicated that the drone operated at an altitude of more than 17 kilometres throughout its mission. It did not enter the airspace of any coastal nation along the Black Sea, with the exception of Bulgaria, through which the drone transitioned to begin its flight over the sea.
Flight route and regular reconnaissance paths
A source in the European Union air traffic control services stated that the flight path generally mirrored the route regularly flown over the sea by NATO's Bombardier Challenger 650 Artemis I reconnaissance and target designation aircraft.
The flight follows earlier aerial reconnaissance activity reported in the region during the summer. On 18 July, a United States Bombardier Challenger 650 Artemis II reconnaissance aircraft conducted a brief flight over the Black Sea.
Surveillance platforms and military installations
The RQ-4D Phoenix is NATO's Alliance Ground Surveillance aircraft system, derived from the high-altitude, long-endurance Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk platform. The remotely piloted system is designed to provide persistent reconnaissance and radar surveillance across large operational areas.
Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily functions as an Italian Air Force base and a key logistics hub for United States and NATO military operations. Its strategic location in the central Mediterranean allows surveillance aircraft to monitor maritime routes and airspace across Southern Europe and the Black Sea region.
International maritime law permits military aircraft to operate in neutral airspace beyond the 12-nautical-mile territorial waters of coastal nations. The Black Sea is bordered by six countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, Russia, and Ukraine.
