A video surfaced online this week, posted by an individual claiming to be a Lebanese resident, showing an unidentified stealth drone flying off the coast of southern Lebanon.
The footage has stirred debate among defense analysts and experts, with many speculating on the drone’s origins and capabilities. The UAV resembles Northrop Grumman’s RQ-180, which has been in U.S. Air Force service since around 2016, but with a distinctive body that does not match known images of the RQ-180, suggesting it may be a different model.
Some observers have suggested that the drone could be the elusive RA-01, a highly classified UAV purportedly developed by Israel. Details about the RA-01 recently emerged following the leak of U.S. intelligence documents, which highlighted Israel’s covert drone operations over Iran.
According to the leaked documents, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted a series of drone missions between October 15 and 16, using stealthy, long-range UAVs to gather intelligence on key targets. The documents, attributed to the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), reveal that personnel and equipment were seen preparing UAVs at Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for these missions.
Footage was posted yesterday by someone claiming to be a Lebanese Resident, which appears to show an Unidentified Stealth Drone operating off the Coast of Southern Lebanon. The Drone looks similar to the Northrop Grumman RQ-180, which entered Active Service with the U.S. Air… pic.twitter.com/5EaZDJrkBg
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 30, 2024
“The Israeli Air Force continued covert UAV operations from 15 through 16 October,” the documents state, with imagery analysis suggesting Israel’s drones are capable of conducting extended intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions over sensitive regions, including Iran. The documents suggest Israel has developed an advanced fleet of stealth drones, allowing it to monitor high-risk areas discreetly.
Additional images, reportedly of the drone’s wing segment, appeared earlier, showing a wingspan measuring around 16 meters.
These images, captured at the port of Haifa, align with previously seen segments from as early as 2011, where a similar UAV component was observed at a test facility in Palmdale, California.
This 16-meter wingspan size corresponds with hangars at Israel’s Ramon Airbase, suggesting compatibility with existing Israeli drone infrastructure.
