On September 20, 2026, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force stated that some wreckage of the 'Global Hawk' unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, which went missing over the sea near Tottori Prefecture on the 15th, had drifted ashore and been recovered. The wreckage, measuring approximately 1.5 meters in length and 1.4 meters in width, did not have its specific components identified. The search operation is still ongoing. The drone took off from Misawa Air Base at around 10:20 am on the 15th and went missing at around 1:00 pm. It was not on a training mission at the time, and the specific purpose of its flight remains unknown. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force possesses a total of three 'Global Hawk' drones, all deployed at Misawa Air Base.
