FORTE is back on Black Sea

Another long-endurance ISR mission by a U.S. Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk, callsign FORTE10, was tracked today over the Black Sea.

The aircraft departed from NAS Sigonell, confirming once again the central role of the Sicilian hub in supporting U.S. and NATO intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations on the eastern flank. After crossing the central Mediterranean, the RQ-4B transited Greek and Bulgarian airspace before entering the western Black Sea area of operations.

Once on station, FORTE10 conducted extended racetrack orbits off the Romanian coast, in international airspace, a flight profile consistent with strategic ISR missions aimed at monitoring military activity across southern Ukraine, Crimea and the wider Black Sea region. These high-altitude sorties allow persistent collection of radar and signals intelligence over a vast area, while remaining well outside contested airspace.

The timing of the mission fits into a broader pattern observed in recent days, with an increased tempo of allied surveillance flights over and around the Black Sea. European and U.S. assets have been maintaining a near-constant presence to track developments following recent Ukrainian strikes and ongoing Russian naval and air activity in the area.

As usual, it is important to note that ADS-B data only offers a partial picture. Other ISR platforms, including manned aircraft and unmanned systems, may be operating concurrently with transponders switched off. Nonetheless, the FORTE10 sortie once again underlines the importance of the RQ-4B Global Hawk as a key strategic sensor for NATO situational awareness along one of Europe’s most sensitive theaters.