A US Navy MQ-4C Triton drone was seen flying towards the southeast of Taiwan on Wednesday. Photo: Handout
SCMP: US spy drone seen over South China Sea headed for Taiwan, Chinese think tank says
* United States could be seeking to track Chinese navy’s underwater activities in the region, observer says
* It comes as Washington steps up military presence after formally rejecting most of Beijing’s claims to the waterway
The United States has sent a high-altitude spy drone over the South China Sea, a Chinese think tank said on Thursday, days after Washington declared most of Beijing’s claims in the hotly contested waterway were “unlawful”.
The US Navy MQ-4C Triton – a long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle – was seen flying towards the southeast of Taiwan at about noon on Wednesday, according to the SCS Probing Initiative (SCSPI), a Peking University think tank.
It said a US P-8A anti-submarine aircraft and a KC-135R aerial refuelling aircraft were also seen on Thursday flying southwest of Taiwan over the South China Sea.
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Update #1: High-altitude US spy drones spotted flying to south of Taiwan (Taiwan News)
Update #2: US Navy’s Triton Spy Drone Makes Rare Appearance in South China Sea (Sputnik)
WNU Editor: The US Navy MQ-4 Triton drones started flying operational missions from Guam only a few months ago .... Navy MQ-4 Triton Flying Operational Missions From Guam (USNI News).
