US Sharpens Spy Plane Tactics With Pacific Ally
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The United States recently deployed a spy plane to Australia—its South Pacific ally—to strengthen its ability to conduct intelligence gathering from a forward-deployed location.
The late-May deployment was part of Exercise RECCE-Edge 25, the U.S. Air Force 18th Wing—host unit at Kadena Air Base in Japan—announced in a news release on Tuesday, which reinforced the role of delivering "timely, reliable intelligence" from any location.
Why It Matters
The U.S. Air Force has been actively conducting surveillance missions in the western Pacific Ocean, particularly over waters bordering China. It has deployed various reconnaissance aircraft to Kadena Air Base, a strategic hub for projecting U.S. airpower in the region.
The recent temporary deployment to Australia follows a Pentagon report on Chinese military power, which assessed that Beijing has expanded its ballistic missile force capable of striking U.S. military bases in Japan—including airfields lacking fortifications to protect aircraft.
Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email.
What To Know
A team of 55 airmen and an RC-135V Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft were deployed to an air force base in Darwin, northern Australia, from May 19 to 23, according to the 18th Wing. The airmen were assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron.
Although the squadron is part of the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, it has operated out of Kadena Air Base since January 1968. It is responsible for conducting aerial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions across the Indo-Pacific region.
RECCE-Edge 25 focused on "enhancing agile force capabilities, intelligence gathering, and joint interoperability," according to the news release, allowing the unit to strengthen tactics and sustain reconnaissance operations while operating from a forward-deployed location.
The forward-deployed team demonstrated its ability to rapidly deploy and sustain "high-tempo reconnaissance missions" from the remote location by achieving full operational capability in just under 12 hours after arriving in Darwin from Japan, the 18th Wing said.
United States Air Force airmen prepare an RC-135V Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin in Australia on May 21, 2025.
United States Air Force airmen prepare an RC-135V Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin in Australia on May 21, 2025.
2nd Lt. James Strong/U.S. Air Force
U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Michael Ellsworth, director of operations of the 82nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, described Darwin as an ideal location for such forward deployment, adding that the Australian ally offers a "close and secure" location.
By operating out of Darwin, this ensured the squadron's capabilities reach across the Indo-Pacific region, said U.S. Air Force Major Robert Anglin, assistant director of operations of the 82nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, "no matter how far we are from home."
The RC-135V Rivet Joint is equipped with a sensor suite to detect, identify, and geolocate electronic signals, according to a U.S. Air Force fact sheet. This "highly specialized signals intelligence platform" is capable of delivering real-time intelligence, the 18th Wing added.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Air Force Major Robert Anglin, the 82nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron assistant director of operations, said: "The Rivet Joint is a high-value asset and crucial to maintaining our reconnaissance capabilities, so it's very important that we're able to get it up and running quickly."
The U.S. Air Force 18th Wing commented: "The [82nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron] demonstrated its ability to operate and perform their duties in any location while proving the importance of cooperation with trusted partners to uphold regional stability and maintain intelligence superiority."
What Happens Next
In addition to Australia, it remains to be seen whether U.S. spy planes stationed in Japan will operate from other forward locations in allied territories across the western Pacific region.
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