US Military and Intelligence Agencies Surge Surveillance Flights Near Cuba Using SIGINT and ISR Platforms

The US Navy and Air Force have conducted at least 25 intelligence-gathering flights near Cuba since February using P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, RC-135V Rivet Joint signals intelligence collectors, and MQ-4C Triton high-altitude reconnaissance drones, with flights concentrated near Havana and Santiago de Cuba coming within 40 miles of the coast in a pattern matching pre-conflict surveillance buildups seen before operations in Venezuela and Iran.