On the high seas drones play as important a role as the navy. Throughout the past week, the importance of drones in naval warfare on the high seas has witnessed two important developments. One of these developments is on the Mediterranean. The other is on the Black Sea.

One of the less well known Arabic dailies in the Maghreb recently published a post, detailing the flight data of an American drone off the coast of Tripoli. Unreported in the Western press, the flight data of the American drone is one of the least reported events in the coverage on Libya, an African country torn apart by years of war. On July 3rd, 204, Libya’s @fawaselmedia published a post entitled: “بعد إيقاف حاويات أسلحة متجهة للشرق… طائرة أمريكية تراقب السواحل الليبية.” The post explains how Northrop Grumman MQ-4C drone named BLACKCATS with a serial number identified as 169659 surveyed an area off the coast of Tripoli recently.

While the article does not discuss the implications of the flight data, the drone, or its presence near Tripoli in detail, the article does mention that the event occurred within the context of Italy’s seizure of a shipment of Chinese ISTAR drones to Libya’s Haftar government.

Within the context of rising tensions between the great powers, the U.S., Italy, Russia or China, over the fate of Libya, which is home to both gas as well as oil reserves, the drone is an indication of its important role on the high seas.

In addition, the note about the flight data comes on the heels of a meeting between the Western Libyan side with one of Italy’s high ranking military attaché’s. There can be no doubt that the meeting focused in large part on proper reaction to the seizure of the Chinese drones.

In the Black Sea, reports of Ukrainian attacks throughout the past week focused almost exclusively on the presence of different types of reconnaissance drones from various members of the U.S.-led NATO coalition. Drones therefore play an important part in warfare on the high seas, especially for coordinating attacks.