Military pilot reported an airborne conflict with opposite direction uav.

Attributes
ACN	1630847
Time
Date	201903
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Fighter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	UAV - Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle
Flight Phase	Cruise
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 65 Flight Crew Total 6700 Flight Crew Type 55
Events
Anomaly	Airspace Violation All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Altitude Overshoot Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural FAR
Miss Distance	Horizontal 3.9 Vertical 900

Narrative:

DOD contract mission supporting military training and was enroute to the ZZZ MOA operating under public use. Aircraft X cleared on heading 350 and descended to FL190 to enter the ZZZ MOA at altitude. Traffic called out off the nose opposite direction FL200 aircraft Y. Center queried aircraft X on altitude. Pilot glanced at altimeter and noted 19;140 and the response from aircraft X was; '19.1 correcting.' pilot was given a phone number to call with center upon landing regarding a possible pilot deviation. Upon further discussion with the center supervisor; center indicated a loss of separation 700 ft/3.9 NM between aircraft X and an aircraft Y. Review of the aircraft garmin recorded altitude data indicated an altitude of 19;235 MSL at [time] (approximately 7 seconds before the reported loss of separation) with an altitude of 19;181 ft at the center time of separation loss. Pilot human performance considerations include simultaneous discussing weather (frequency management) for the mission on the other radio; potentially taking scan away from direct altitude scan while also transitioning pilot's visual lookout externally to pick up the aircraft Y opposite direction traffic. Lack of autopilot / altitude hold mode was a contributing factor but not a substitute for basic air work altitude hold at FL290.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Military pilot reported an airborne conflict with opposite direction UAV.

Narrative: DOD Contract Mission supporting military training and was enroute to the ZZZ MOA operating under public use. Aircraft X cleared on heading 350 and descended to FL190 to enter the ZZZ MOA at altitude. Traffic called out off the nose opposite direction FL200 Aircraft Y. Center queried Aircraft X on altitude. Pilot glanced at altimeter and noted 19;140 and the response from Aircraft X was; '19.1 correcting.' Pilot was given a phone number to call with Center upon landing regarding a possible pilot deviation. Upon further discussion with the Center supervisor; Center indicated a loss of separation 700 ft/3.9 NM between Aircraft X and an Aircraft Y. Review of the aircraft Garmin recorded altitude data indicated an altitude of 19;235 MSL at [time] (approximately 7 seconds before the reported loss of separation) with an altitude of 19;181 ft at the Center time of separation loss. Pilot human performance considerations include simultaneous discussing weather (frequency management) for the mission on the other radio; potentially taking scan away from direct altitude scan while also transitioning pilot's visual lookout externally to pick up the Aircraft Y opposite direction traffic. Lack of autopilot / altitude hold mode was a contributing factor but not a substitute for basic air work altitude hold at FL290.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.