The Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) clarified the presence of several United States vessels near the coast of Baja California that were reported in the media. In a message, the agency informed that the ships are in an area of free international navigation and not in national territory. SEMAR added that U.S. vessels have been present on previous occasions.
Some media outlets published images of the military ship USS Nimitz (CVN-68), which passed in front of Ensenada on the afternoon of Monday, February 3rd. On the other hand, a United States intelligence airplane entered the Gulf of California, surveying the area. The aircraft, a Boeing RC135-V Rivet Joint, has near real-time intelligence collection, analysis, and dissemination capabilities, according to the United States Air Force.
The Mexican government stated that the aircraft flew over international waters and not over Mexican territory. The plane passed 83 kilometers southwest of Cabo San Lucas, according to a report from the Mazatlán Air Traffic Control Center to the National Center for Airspace Surveillance and Protection (CENAVI). It was emphasized that the aircraft was outside Mexican airspace in international waters.
The aircraft is a spy plane with a set of sensors on board that allows the crew to detect, identify, and geolocate signals across the electromagnetic spectrum, according to the United States Air Force's website. The interior of the aircraft can accommodate more than 30 people, including the cockpit crew, electronic warfare officers, intelligence operators, and in-flight maintenance technicians.
