The head of NORAD and NORTHCOM, the military commands responsible for the defense of North America, informed Congress earlier this year that some of the unusually seen drones flying within U.S. territory may have been engaged in espionage activities, though he did not disclose the identity of the operators.
A recent investigation by 60 Minutes revealed that these anomalies are not new, tracing back over five years to similar incidents, including notable drone flyovers in New Jersey.
The tipping point occurred just over a year ago when drones invaded the skies above Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for 17 consecutive nights, prompting the relocation of the base’s advanced fighter jets.
Eyewitness Jonathan Butner had a front-row seat to this unsettling spectacle on December 14, 2023, while at his family’s cabin on the James River, approximately 100 miles south of Washington, D.C.
Butner described seeing reddish and orange flashing lights arriving sequentially from the Virginia Beach area.
He initially observed the drones coming in one-by-one but soon realized they were flowing in like a ‘conveyor belt.’
When asked about the total number of drones he witnessed, Butner estimated upwards of 40.
He remarked, “Those are going directly over Langley Air Force Base.”
Langley Air Force Base, home to numerous F-22 Raptors—the most advanced stealth fighter jets in existence—is a critical military installation on the East Coast.
Butner stated that he is familiar with various types of military aircraft, from Blackhawks to F-22s, and affirmed that these drones were unlike anything he had encountered before.
Butner documented the incursion with his iPhone for nearly an hour and a half, capturing the only publicly available footage of the drones over Langley.
Retired four-star General Mark Kelly, who was the highest-ranking officer at Langley during the incident, corroborated Butner’s observations.
Kelly described witnessing varying sizes of aircraft incursions at different altitudes and airspeeds, noting some were considerably loud while others were not.
The size variations were striking; the smallest drones resembled commercial quadcopters, while the largest were comparable to a small car.
General Glen VanHerck, the joint commander of NORAD and NORTHCOM at the time, shared that he deployed various aircraft to help categorize the UAS sightings, including fighter jets and helicopters.
This came after he had led an operation to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon just 10 months earlier.
However, with the drone intrusions over Langley, the existing NORAD radar systems, designed for high-altitude threats, proved incapable of detecting low-flying drones.
When asked about the inability to simply shoot down the intruding drones, VanHerck explained, “First, you have to have the capability to detect, track, identify,” ensuring that it isn’t a civilian aircraft.
He emphasized that firing missiles over populated areas is a serious consideration.
Furthermore, the current challenge lies in the capability gap that allows these drones to approach and depart from military facilities without detection.
The FBI is exploring potential responses to these drone incursions, but so far, no clear solutions have emerged.
This isn’t an isolated incident; there have been similar drone sightings over sensitive military facilities and infrastructure for years.
In 2019, naval vessels off the California coast were monitored by drones for weeks.
Despite early fears of unidentified flying objects, logs confirmed that naval forces believed it was an operation initiated by a nearby freighter.
For years, the Pentagon largely neglected these incidents, leading to limited clarity on the origins and intents of such drone activities.
Since then, a myriad of documented drone incursions has occurred at significant military sites, including purported sightings near the Palo Verde nuclear plant in Arizona and an experimental weapons facility in Southern California in 2024.
In December of last year, the Army reported 11 drone sightings over the Picatinny Arsenal in northern New Jersey, a site known for developing advanced weaponry.
This triggered a widespread public interest in the phenomenon, coinciding with another series of drone incursions at a U.K. air base storing U.S. nuclear weapons.
Senator Roger Wicker, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, stated that there is a military intelligence concern surrounding these incursions, leading to speculation about their motives.
When questioned if these drones could be utilized for espionage, Wicker asserted, “What would a logical person conclude?”
He added that despite classified briefings, the Pentagon’s officials remain perplexed by their presence.
In light of these drone sightings, some F-22 aircraft stationed at Langley were relocated for their protection.
The evolution of drone capabilities poses significant threats as drones capable of surveillance could also potentially cause destruction, a reality demonstrated by the effectiveness of Ukrainian drones against advanced Russian aircraft.
General VanHerck acknowledged the potential danger posed by drones near U.S. air assets, reflecting a growing concern among military officials.
President Biden was briefed on the situation surrounding the drone incursions, and subsequent meetings were convened at the White House to discuss countermeasures.
However, following 17 nights of sightings, the droning halted, leading a senior Biden administration official to suggest that the occurrences might have originated from hobbyists.
Nevertheless, General VanHerck expressed skepticism regarding this explanation given the scale and nature of the events.
He articulated that the drones did not have characteristics typically associated with hobbyist activities and underscored the gravity of the situation.
Compounding the dilemma is the jurisdictional overlap among multiple agencies, such as the Coast Guard, FAA, FBI, and local police, which hampers a cohesive response.
In an effort to respond effectively to this emerging threat, General Gregory Guillot, who took command of NORAD and NORTHCOM a year ago, initiated a 90-day assessment focusing on the drone phenomenon above Langley.
In an interview, Guillot reflected on the military’s historical view of domestic airspace as relatively secure, but acknowledged that recent events have shifted this perception.
He noted the need for enhanced detection capabilities for drones, as prevailing radar technologies remain insufficient against such low-altitude incursions.
When asked about the current ability to monitor drones, Guillot affirmed that existing systems are generally incapable of detecting low-flying drone swarms akin to those that appeared over Langley.
Guillot also mentioned his ambition to eliminate bureaucratic delays, which have previously obstructed strong counter-drone responses.
He confirmed ongoing efforts to improve collaboration among relevant agencies, ensuring coordinated efforts toward drone defenses.
Guillot revealed that new, more sensitive radar systems are being deployed at key installations to better respond to future incursions.
Moreover, initiatives like the development of “fly-away kits” with state-of-the-art anti-drone technology are in progress, targeting bases that have faced similar threats.
With a goal of operational capability within a year, Guillot aims to ensure that a future incident resembling the Langley situation would be met with an effective response.
General VanHerck, Guillot’s predecessor, criticized the slow pace at which the Pentagon and Congress have addressed this vulnerability, emphasizing that the past year has demonstrated a dire need for effective policies and response protocols.
He lamented that despite a year since the Langley incident, no concrete legal framework to manage such drone incursions has been established.
The perception that the U.S. is safe due to its geographical barriers—two oceans and neighboring countries—must be reassessed, he urged.
As domestic drone technology continues to develop, the ability to counter these threats becomes more critical, demanding immediate attention and action from military and governmental entities.
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