An F/A-18E Super Hornet from VFA-143 detected a white object with 5-foot wingspan at 12,000 feet and 0.1 Mach in W-72 zone. Pilot tracked it visually for one hour; Navy deemed it UAS but couldn't identify operator.
Background
Event Details
On November 18, 2013, at 12:55 p.m., a pilot from Strike Fighter Squadron 143 (VFA-143), known as the "Pukin Dogs," flew an F/A-18E Super Hornet out of Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Radar detected an unidentified object directly ahead in the W-72 warning zone at about 12,000 feet altitude moving at roughly 0.1 Mach.
Sighting and Tracking
The pilot visually confirmed the object, describing it as white with an estimated 5-foot wingspan and no further markings or features. Tracking continued for one hour. A second F/A-18E from the same squadron provided confirmation of the same object nearby.
Investigation and Conclusion
Commander, Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic and Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility Virginia Capes (FASCFAC VACAPES), callsign Giant Killer, could not identify the operator. A nearby Navy vessel heading south also failed to account for it. The Navy classified it as an unmanned aerial system (UAS) but operator remained unknown.