Japan searches for missing Global Hawk drone

The Japanese military said on Tuesday it was searching for one of its three long-range Global Hawk surveillance drones that went missing during an unspecified flight off the country's western coast.

The coast guard said it had found what appeared part of the aircraft, which costs more than $120 million.

The RQ-4B Global Hawk aircraft operated by the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (ASDF) lost contact at around 1 pm (0400 GMT) on Tuesday while flying over the Sea of Japan, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Tottori prefecture, the ASDF said.

"Search operations are currently being carried out by aircraft from the ASDF and by vessels and aircraft from the Maritime Self-Defence Force," ASDF Chief of Staff Takehiro Morita told reporters.

He added the aircraft was not on a training flight.

An ASDF spokesman said the military could not confirm whether the aircraft had crashed.

"What we know now is that the communication has been lost," the spokesman told AFP.

A Japan Coast Guard spokeswoman told AFP that the agency spotted "what appeared to be part of the drone" off Tottori.

"But we cannot confirm if it is from the missing aircraft," she said.

The Global Hawk is used exclusively for surveillance and is unarmed.

Built by Northrop Grumman, the aircraft is 14.5 metres (47.6 feet) long and is distinguished by a bulbous nose that gives it a whale-like appearance.

Japan operates three Global Hawks, according to the defence ministry.