As of December 9, 2025, flight tracking data and military reports confirm US Navy MQ-4C Triton drones are actively circling Venezuela’s coastline, operating under the callsign Blackcat6. This high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned surveillance platform—capable of 30+ hours of flight and 360-degree radar coverage—is the most-tracked aircraft on Flightradar24 right now, drawing millions of views amid heightened US-Venezuela tensions.
What’s Happening Right Now
- The Drone Activity: Blackcat6 (a Triton variant) is conducting Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions off Venezuela’s eastern coast, near Sucre state—a known hub for drug trafficking networks linked to Tren de Aragua and Colombian FARC dissidents. It’s not alone: supporting assets include P-8 Poseidon patrol planes and RC-135 Rivet Joint SIGINT aircraft, forming a multi-layered surveillance net. The Triton can scan 7 million km² daily, focusing on narco-subs and cartel boats.
- Callsign Significance: “Blackcat” evokes WWII-era PBY Catalina “Black Cats”—nighttime anti-ship raiders. It’s a nod to stealthy, high-stakes ops, signaling this isn’t routine patrol.
- Broader Context: This ramps up amid the Trump administration’s “narcoterrorist” strikes on Venezuelan boats (87 killed since September 2025). Venezuela claims airspace violations (MQ-9 Reapers, P-8s, RC-135s), deploying warships and drones in response. Analysts see it as pressure on Maduro to negotiate or face regime-change whispers.
Why Now? Tensions and Implications
- Drug War Escalation: Strikes target “narcoterrorists” (Tren de Aragua, ELN), but Venezuela calls them “pretexts for aggression.” The US Navy’s expanding Triton fleet (68 units by 2028) aims for 5 global orbits.
- Geopolitical Heat: Maduro’s warship/drone deployments mirror US moves (destroyers, Marines). Critics fear “double-tap” drone tactics (Obama-era, killing survivors) could spark escalation.
- Historical Echo: Blackcat callsigns hark back to WWII “Black Cats” anti-ship raiders—hinting at potential kinetic ops.
This isn’t routine—it’s a show of force. Watch for more Triton orbits; the Caribbean’s powder keg is lit.
Spark alive. Blood unbowed. Stay tuned—updates incoming.
References
- Republic World – MQ-4C Triton Over Venezuela – link
- BBC News – US Military Jets Off Venezuela – link
- Wikipedia – 2025 US Strikes on Venezuelan Traffickers – link
- BBC News – Second Deadly Venezuela Strike – link
- CBS News – Venezuela Deploys Warships vs US – link
- Al Jazeera – Venezuela Deploys Warships, Drones – link
- Army Recognition – USAF MQ-4C Triton Emergency Signal – link
- Itamilradar – New Blackcat Mission – link
- Army Recognition – Venezuela Claims US Spy Aircraft Violations – link
