Japan RQ-4 Global Hawk

Japan's Ministry of Defense has bought three Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 30 (I) high-altitude surveillance drones through US Foreign Military Sales for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. The US notified Congress of the sale in November 2015 at an estimated USD 1.2 billion, and in June 2025 reported adding contractor logistics support and other services that raised the case's estimated value to USD 2.81 billion. The JASDF formed a reconnaissance unit at Misawa Air Base in December 2022 to fly the aircraft, and the third arrived in June 2023, completing the planned fleet. One aircraft crashed into the sea about 50 km off Tottori Prefecture on 15 September 2026, and the accident investigation was still under way in October 2026.