U.S. spy plane flies near the northern coast of Cuba

A U.S. spy plane was detected flying near the northern coast of Cuba, an operation that once again highlighted the aerial surveillance that Washington maintains over the island and its strategic surroundings.

The information was shared by the account AeroNoticiasVE on the social media platform X, which identified the aircraft as an RC-135V Rivet Joint, a plane specialized in electronic and communications intelligence, whose main function is to gather information rather than carry weapons.

According to the released data, this type of aircraft is used to intercept military communications, detect radar and air defense systems, and analyze activity patterns in real time, with information transmitted directly to U.S. command centers.

The RC-135V typically operates in international airspace, but close enough to territories deemed sensitive to capture internal signals. It is common to see it in areas such as Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and Cuba, especially during times of heightened geopolitical tension.

In the case of Cuba, this type of flight could focus on monitoring military communications, air and naval traffic, and any signs of cooperation or unusual activity associated with external actors such as Russia or China, without necessarily implying a scenario of immediate confrontation.

The presence of the aircraft was also confirmed through the air tracking platform FlightRadar24, where users detected its trajectory near the northern coast of the island, an element that reinforces the public visibility of this type of mission.

Although this type of operation is not new, its occurrence is often interpreted as a sign of enhanced surveillance and specific interest from the United States regarding movements or changes in the Cuban strategic environment.

A few days ago, an RC-135V/W Rivet Joint spy plane, one of the most sophisticated intelligence aircraft of the United States Air Force, conducted a reconnaissance flight along the northern coast of Cuba, from the east to the west of the island.

Additionally, a special stratospheric balloon, registered in the United States and designed to monitor the surrounding airspace, was launched over the Florida Strait, near Cuban airspace.

The news was announced by the Russian agency TASS, which cited a source from air traffic control.

"The stratospheric balloon, designed for continuous monitoring and control, even across national borders, is currently operating at a low altitude of about 2.5 kilometers and is located over the Florida Bay, near Key West, USA," the agency source stated.