In line with Greek outlet OnLarissa, a flying wing plane, clearly not a B-2 Spirit, was photographed reportedly flying over Larissa, Greece. Is that this our greatest view ever of the U.S. Air Pressure’s secretive ISR drone?
OnLarissa experiences, based mostly on remark from native sources, that the plane was a B-2 Spirit that diverted into Larissa Airport with an obvious technical problem. After all, to any skilled observer, the plane form is clearly not that of a B-2. Moreover, the undercarriage seen doesn’t resemble that of the B-21 Raider, and the general form of the plane guidelines out the RQ-170 Sentinel.
The closest match we are able to discover, corroborated by nameless sources with some familiarity with the clandestine jet, is with the well-known (but nonetheless categorized) intelligence, surveillance, and reconaissance UAV operated by the U.S. Air Pressure that now we have come to know because the RQ-180. Virtually definitely this designation shouldn’t be used formally, however we use it in lieu of a confirmed one. Thanks to @MechDesignxyz on X/Twitter for forwarding this sighting to us.
Article saying {that a} B-2 (!) landed on a army base in Larissa, Greece due to some problem
The photographs nevertheless displaying one thing that’s neither a B-2, nor a drone like RQ170
Undecided how credible is that this or if it’s really a US plane @onlarissa pic.twitter.com/42xLCwTcIg
— MechDesign.xyz (@MechDesignxyz) March 18, 2026
Larissa is not any stranger to a U.S. army presence, and has hosted MQ-9 Reaper detachments on an ongoing foundation. It does stay unclear, although, if these photographs genuinely depict an RQ-180 – what had been the circumstances that led it to be basically revealed in broad daylight over a populated, inland space of Greece?
Earlier hypothesis as to the operation of those secretive plane assumed that they primarily operated from distant, maybe coastal, airbases the place even nighttime sightings can be unusual or simply defined away. Examples may embody Diego Garcia within the Indian Ocean, RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus, or one of many large U.S. installations within the Gulf.
This plane seen over Larissa, Greece shouldn’t be a B-2 just like the native Greek information reported or an RQ-170, however is in reality greatest imagery ever revealed of the RQ-180, an undisclosed low observable drone utilized by the USAF. Location suggests use within the Iran battle pic.twitter.com/UsDxy9Tc4n
— IntelWalrus (@IntelWalrus) March 18, 2026
The RQ-180 has reportedly featured a near-white color scheme, just like the B-21, and as now we have beforehand reported it apparently has garnered the nicknames ‘White Bat’, ‘Nice White Bat’, or ‘Shikaka’ in service. The darkish look of the plane right here could replicate a brand new color scheme, or just be a trick of lighting. It was developed by Northrop Grumman as a part of the Penetrating ISR or P-ISR undertaking, and in accordance with aviation historian Peter Merlin no less than 9 examples had flown by 2016.
Israel can be identified to function its personal stealth drone, which has been labelled RA-01. It’s troublesome to match since we do not need confirmed photographs of this plane, however some supposed sightings present some variations in planform. Moreover, the query have to be requested – why would Israel fly its secretive stealth drone to Greece?
Replace 2315 UTC
Armchair Admiral on X/Twitter, certainly one of many customers who monitor and log army plane actions, has dug out some historic information concerning U.S. Air Pressure C-17 Globemaster III flights to Larissa. As acknowledged above, Larissa is a longtime U.S. base so common assist plane actions are comprehensible. Nevertheless, in no less than two situations throughout February and March of this yr, these C-17s arrived at Larissa from Edwards Air Pressure Base, California.
These photographs are actually attention-grabbing as they clarify the 2 C-17s which flew from Edwards Air Pressure Base to Larissa Air Base in Greece in early March and late February.
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III 2x#AE07F8 97-0046 – REACH 532 (9 Mar)#AE1196 03-3113 – REACH 432 (25 Feb)… pic.twitter.com/EnKMatkh1w
— Armchair Admiral 🇬🇧 (@ArmchairAdml) March 18, 2026
Edwards is, after all, entrance and centre on this planet of U.S. plane growth and testing. The bottom at Groom Lake, generally known as Space 51, operates as a detachment of Edwards AFB, and Edwards can be comparatively near Plant 42 at Palmdale. Northrop Grumman maintains a major presence at Palmdale, and it’s the manufacturing location for the B-21 Raider in addition to the B-2 Spirit. Their safe amenities right here virtually definitely additionally produced the plane we all know because the RQ-180. A C-17 shifting from Edwards to Larissa, then, might have been carrying assist gear tailor-made to the jet.
Might this counsel that, in reality, the RQ-180 has been ahead deployed to Larissa, or in any other case particularly earmarked prematurely for potential diversions? It’s attainable that some RQ-180 operations have occurred at Larissa earlier than, however strictly in the course of the evening hours solely to keep away from sightings. Even when the plane’s capabilities had been in reality required within the daytime, the RQ-180’s reportedly distinctive vary efficiency can enable it to loiter for vital durations over uninhabited areas to make sure the required arrival time on station may be met. On this occasion, the plane returning in the course of the day time is defined by the experiences from onlarissa.org that the plane had suffered a mechanical fault.
It’s, after all, seemingly that the RQ-180’s presence wherever on this area is said to Operation Epic Fury. Even previous to this sighting it was thought of a close to certainty that the RQ-180 was actively concerned within the ongoing army motion, and may have had an intelligence gathering function previous to any pictures being fired. It might even have participated in U.S. operations towards Venezuela, although at this stage the one stealth drone that may be confirmed in that theater is the RQ-170 Sentinel. The RQ-180’s aforementioned vary signifies that, for Venezuela, plane could have merely flown their missions straight from the US.
This text considerations a breaking information story and could also be up to date as and when new info or evaluation is offered.
