U.S ,Japan 

The US is deploying two MQ-4C Triton surveillance drones to Kadena Air Base in Japan until October to conduct intelligence missions in the Nansei region. This move addresses increased maritime tensions with China in the East and South China Seas.

The US military is deploying two MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance drones to Kadena Air Base in Japan this month. These drones, usually based in Guam, will operate from the US Air Force base until October. Their mission is to conduct intelligence operations in the Nansei region and nearby areas.

The Nansei islands stretch from Kyushu, Japan's southernmost main island, to Taiwan. This deployment comes as China increasingly challenges the maritime claims of its neighbors in the East and South China Seas, including the Senkaku islands, which are administered by Japan.

Northrop Grumman delivered five MQ-4C Triton drones to the US Navy last year, with plans to provide 22 more. A squadron of Tritons was deployed to Guam last year after achieving initial operational capability.

The Triton, based on the US Air Force’s Global Hawk, has a service ceiling of 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) and can fly for 24 hours. It can survey an area of 4 million square nautical miles and is designed to withstand bird strikes and lightning power surges.