Early this Tuesday morning, A US military drone MQ-4C Triton, identified with the code 169804 BLKCAT6, entered the flight information airspace (FIR) of Maiquetíaexecuting reconnaissance maneuvers in front of the central coast of Venezuela.
The device, belonging to the United States Navy and manufactured by Northrop Grumman, flew over the Caribbean Sea maintaining a trajectory parallel to the Venezuelan coast, although it did not penetrate sovereign airspace, according to independent air tracking reports.
The flight was carried out at high altitude, an operational characteristic of the system, which It is designed for long-range strategic surveillance without the need to descend to low levels.
An American drone designed for advanced surveillance
The MQ-4C Triton is one of the most advanced unmanned systems in the US inventory. Its main function is ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance)making it a platform capable of covering thousands of square kilometers in a single flight.
Among its most relevant features are a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), capable of generating detailed images of the ground even at great distances, and electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) sensors for real-time target tracking.
It also has a multi-function active radar (MFAS) that detects vessels, aircraft and land movements and SIGINT (signals intelligence) capability, including interception of maritime, air and potentially land communications.
These capabilities allow the US drone identify ships, suspicious vessels, military movements in ports and changes in navigation patterns, in addition to capturing telecommunications used in drug trafficking or smuggling networks.
According to aeronautical sources consulted by We monitorDuring its passage through the Venezuelan Caribbean, the MQ-4C probably carried out radar sweeps and signal monitoring, common practices in maritime surveillance operations of the Southern Command.
Operation under the United States Southern Command
The drone belongs to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19)a unit specialized in unmanned aerial patrol that operates under the jurisdiction of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
This command, responsible for US military operations in the Caribbean and Latin America, has increased its deployment of ISR aircraft in recent months to combat drug trafficking and transnational organized crime.
The presence of the Triton in the Maiquetía FIR coincides with a period of maximum tension between Washington and Caracas, marked by mutual accusations, US naval operations near the southern Caribbean and a regional climate loaded with military alerts.
So far, Venezuelan authorities have not issued a statement about the presence of the American drone.
