- A U.S. Navy warship issued three radio warnings to an unidentified aircraft flying at 18,300 feet south of Puerto Rico on November 24.
- The aircraft did not respond and continued eastbound on a heading of approximately 085º over international waters.
A U.S. Navy vessel operating as part of a coalition task force in the Caribbean issued multiple radio warnings on November 24 to an unidentified aircraft approaching its position in international waters south of Puerto Rico.
The aircraft, flying at 18,300 feet and traveling at approximately 278 knots, was tracked on a course of 085º—moving west to east—when it triggered concern from the warship’s crew.
The incident occurred at 17:27 UTC, approximately 77 kilometers (41.6 nautical miles) south of the city of Guayama, Puerto Rico, placing the aircraft well offshore but within range of regional airspace management.
According to open-source radio monitoring shared by FlightWatcher, the warship broadcast the following challenge: “Unidentified aircraft at position 17.25 North, 66.39 West at an altitude of 18,300 feet and a speed of 278 knots. You are approaching a coalition Navy warship operating in international waters. Request you establish communication, identify yourself, state your squawk, and declare your intentions.”
The message was repeated three times over San Juan Center frequencies, with minor changes in coordinates and airspeed each time, indicating the aircraft was continuing eastward. After the third transmission, no further calls were heard from the ship, and the aircraft’s identity or destination remains unconfirmed.
Open-source imagery and radio traffic confirm that at least one U.S. Navy warship was operating in the area at the time of the event. While the Navy has not released an official statement, FlightWatcher reported that the voice transmission originated from an American naval unit currently deployed to the region as part of ongoing operations.
The aircraft did not respond on the monitored frequency, and no identification signal or transponder squawk was reported. FlightWatcher stated that the repeated broadcasts indicated a level of urgency, but there was no indication that the situation escalated beyond a standard radio challenge.
The aircraft’s eastbound heading suggests it may have been transiting across regional airspace or conducting a parallel track flight along the Caribbean basin. Without transponder data or communication, its intentions remain unknown.
Aviation analysts noted that encounters like these—especially involving unresponsive aircraft near warships—can raise alert levels aboard naval vessels, particularly in areas where joint maritime operations are underway. The lack of communication could result from equipment malfunction, intentional radio silence, or operation by a non-cooperative actor.
As noted in previous Department of War briefings, U.S. forces routinely operate in the Caribbean to support homeland defense, conduct counter-narcotics patrols, and maintain maritime situational awareness. U.S. Southern Command maintains close coordination with air traffic and naval authorities in the region to ensure deconfliction between military assets and civilian traffic.