RQ-170 Sentinel Latest News
A rare U.S. Air Force RQ-170 “Sentinel” stealth surveillance drone was recently spotted returning to Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in eastern Puerto Rico, following U.S. military strikes conducted overnight against targets in Venezuela.
About RQ-170 Sentinel
- It is an American high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
- It was designed and manufactured by Skunk Works, a division of Lockheed Martin (an American defense and aerospace manufacturer), for the United States Air Force (USAF).
- It is designed to execute intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) and electronic warfare missions over a target area.
- The aircraft entered service in the mid-2000s and has previously been associated with U.S. operations in the Middle East and Asia.
RQ-170 Sentinel Features
- It has a wingspan of 20 m and a length of 4.5 m.
- It features a flying-wing design optimized for reduced radar visibility and long-endurance flights.
- It features a blended fuselage, pointed nose, and tricycle-type landing gear.
- An electro-optic camera was incorporated beneath the front fuselage section to seize real-time imagery or videos of the battlefield it is surveying.
- It can capture real-time imagery of the battlefield and transfer the data to the ground control station (GCS) through a line of sight (LOS) communication data link.
- It is fitted with an active electronically scanned array radar, synthetic aperture radar, and signal intelligence in its belly fairings.
- About 90% of the aircraft is made up of composite materials to decrease its overall weight.
Source: DB
RQ-170 Sentinel FAQs
Q1: What is the RQ-170 Sentinel?
Ans: It is an American high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
Q2: What missions is the RQ-170 Sentinel designed to perform?
Ans: Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance (ISTAR), and electronic warfare missions.
Q3: When did the RQ-170 Sentinel enter service?
Ans: In the mid-2000s.
Q4: What is the primary purpose of RQ-170 Sentinel's flying-wing design?
Ans: To reduce radar visibility and enable long-endurance flight.
