NATO surveillance drone completes 24 hour mission over Black Sea

A NATO RQ-4D Phoenix uncrewed surveillance aircraft took off towards the Black Sea and returned 24-hours later to its base in Italy.

NATO say here that this important step to Full Operating Capability for the NATO Allied Ground Surveillance Force has been ‘successfully achieved’. The force have five RQ-4D aircraft.

“The AGS team conducted its first mission of 24-hour duration demonstrating the team’s continuous efforts in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and therefore enhancing a vital Allied capability.”

Brigadier General Houston Cantwell, Commander of the NATO AGS Force, was quoted as saying:

“With this 24-hour mission, we have proven that we are on the right track to Full Operational Capability and are a valuable asset to NATO. I am very proud of the teamwork accomplished.”

According to a statement from NATO:

“The challenge of this long mission focused on the airmen and soldiers operating the system; in particular their ability to hand over smoothly between shifts. The sensor operators, who are responsible for controlling the Synthetic Aperture radar, were also changed at the same time as the pilots.

In order for the unmanned aircraft to fly its mission safely, it is not only necessary to have well-trained pilots who are replaced after a certain period of time, but also the IT specialists who ensure that the satellite and communication link is guaranteed between the Main Operation Base in Sigonella and the NATO RQ-4D Phoenix.”