Greek news agency Onlarissa reported on 18/3 that "an unusually shaped aircraft" made an emergency landing at the Larissa air base in the city of the same name last weekend. The aircraft reportedly experienced a malfunction and will remain at the base until repairs are completed.

Onlarissa initially identified the aircraft as a B-2 strategic bomber. However, images released by the news agency and analyzed by US military specialist publication War Zone suggest it is more likely an RQ-180 long-range stealth unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

The suspected RQ-180 UAV landed at Larissa base in Greece, as shown in an image published on 18/3. Photo: Onlarissa.

War Zone pointed out that the aircraft lacks the distinctive serrated trailing edge characteristic of the B-2 bomber. Its landing gear also does not match the type used on the B-21 Raider bomber, and its overall shape differs from the RQ-170 Sentinel stealth reconnaissance UAV.

It remains unclear whether the aircraft originated from Larissa base or was diverted there after experiencing the incident. Joseph Trevithick, a writer for War Zone, suggested, "It is possible that the aircraft was already deployed to Larissa and had to return unexpectedly, leading to its detection in broad daylight instead of a discreet night landing."

The US Department of Defense has not commented on the information.

Larissa base is home to the Greek 110th Combat Wing, which operates F-16C/D fighter jets and various types of unmanned aerial vehicles. Since the late 2010s, the US Air Force has utilized this airfield to support its MQ-9 Reaper squadron operations across multiple regions in Europe and Africa.

This use has led to upgrades in the airfield's infrastructure, particularly in the southern section, where hangars capable of housing large flying-wing aircraft are located.

The RQ-180 is believed to be a product of Northrop Grumman, operating as a classified project with no public information, despite the aircraft seemingly having been operational for 15 years.

An assumed rendering of the RQ-180 UAV based on sightings of the aircraft. Graphic: Hangar B Productions.

The RQ-180 was expected to operate on a large scale in recent years, but there are no indications that the US has built the necessary infrastructure for this. It is possible that Washington has scaled back the program, especially as the Pentagon is accelerating the development of space-based surveillance capabilities.

Despite this, Trevithick noted that the RQ-180 UAV will operate in conjunction with the B-21 bomber, and the two aircraft appear to share some similarities. It is conceivable that the RQ-180 series will share infrastructure with the B-21 and become fully operational alongside the new bomber in the coming years.

The War Zone commentator also raised the possibility that the RQ-180 is currently being used by the US in the Middle East conflict. Trevithick stated, "The conflict with Iran is highly suitable for the type of mission it was designed to perform, so it would not be surprising if the aircraft is operating in that country, even if the RQ-180 has not completed its development process."

Pham Giang (According to War Zone, Aviationist, Onlarissa)