US drones take to the skies as Trump’s fleet descends on the Middle East
While speculation continues that a major US attack against Iran is imminent, America’s most reliable spy planes have begun collecting intelligence over the Persian Gulf.
A remote-controlled Triton drone took off from Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday and spent several minutes over the Persian Gulf before heading towards Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Both countries are close neighbors of Iran and are located on opposite sides of the Gulf; Two U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike groups will soon be deployed here after talks with Tehran collapsed due to President Trump’s nuclear red line.
The MQ-4 Triton is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed primarily for the Navy as a high-altitude, long-range aircraft for surveillance missions, typically over water.
It can operate for more than 24 hours at altitudes above 50,000 feet, covering a range of approximately 8,500 miles.
The Navy uses these drones with advanced 360-degree radar to detect, track and classify targets in large areas before possible military operations.
Wednesday’s flight was the latest instance of an MQ-4 taking off to conduct reconnaissance over the Middle East; Another Triton was spotted by flight tracking site Flight Aware 24 on February 14.
Unlike the last drone, which headed towards western Iran, the patrol vehicle Triton on Saturday was located southeast of Iran’s coastline.
This is a story of breaking. More details to follow.
The MQ-4 Triton unmanned drone (Pictured) is operated primarily by the US Navy for long-range surveillance purposes
Flight tracking site Flight Aware 24 spotted an MQ-4 Triton flying near Iran on Wednesday
Media outlets in Iran’s northern neighbor Azerbaijan reported that the drone flights followed similar U.S. military activity on Feb. 13, when two Navy P-8A Poseidon patrol planes reportedly operated near Iranian airspace.
President Trump is believed to be on the verge of giving the green light to a ‘massive, weeks-long’ military campaign against Iran that could be seen as an all-out war.
Trump’s navy off Iran’s coast has grown to include two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, a dozen warships and hundreds of fighter jets equipped with advanced combat systems.
More firepower is also on the way, with 150 military cargo flights beginning this week rapidly transporting weapons and ammunition to US Middle East bases.
Trump ordered 50 more fighter jets, including F-35s, F-22s and F-16s, to be prepared for launch as he considers further military action against Iran.
Al Dhafra Air Base also hosts both MQ-4 Triton and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned drones.
The Triton does not carry any offensive weapons and is focused entirely on surveillance and reconnaissance missions, relaying target information back to its base for future attacks.
Meanwhile, its cousin the Reaper is used in both surveillance and tactical missions, carrying thousands of pounds of laser-guided bombs to deliver our precision strikes.
US military deploys two aircraft carrier strike groups to Middle East as negotiations with Iran fail
The US Navy deployed both USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier strike groups to the Middle East ahead of a possible attack on Iran.
Trump’s preparations for war came as Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz for a military exercise believed to be a warning to the world if the US attacked.
The Pentagon on Friday deployed the $13 billion floating fortress USS Gerald R Ford to join the USS Abraham Lincoln battle group in the Middle East, effectively doubling the US Navy’s carrier strike force in the region.
The move added serious military weight to Trump’s efforts to pressure Iran into a new deal on its nuclear program.
