It could be optical and IR too. FORTE11 is likely the RQ-4, as it’s in a much more dangerous (as in, the Ruskies might lob a missile at it if they’re feeling like they want to fuck around a bit) spot, and the RQ-4 is basically just a modern, unmanned spin on a U-2. They have Synthetic Aperture Radar, electro-optical, and IR sensors whose upper ends of fidelity are classified. So yeah - on a clear day, it’s absolutely feasible that they could be getting optical/IR intel (probably BDAs for the storm shadow strikes the Ukranians are doing, if I had to guess) from Sevastopol and other places in Crimea.
Genuine question what they reconning at that distance? Just comm interception?
It could be optical and IR too. FORTE11 is likely the RQ-4, as it’s in a much more dangerous (as in, the Ruskies might lob a missile at it if they’re feeling like they want to fuck around a bit) spot, and the RQ-4 is basically just a modern, unmanned spin on a U-2. They have Synthetic Aperture Radar, electro-optical, and IR sensors whose upper ends of fidelity are classified. So yeah - on a clear day, it’s absolutely feasible that they could be getting optical/IR intel (probably BDAs for the storm shadow strikes the Ukranians are doing, if I had to guess) from Sevastopol and other places in Crimea.