For several nights, the US military has reported "mysterious violations of restricted airspace" over important US national security facilities.
Points of attention
- Drones of unknown origin are monitoring US national security military facilities, causing concern among the military and authorities.
- The dignitaries watched the drone show, which began after sunset, moving at considerable speed and high altitude.
- Incidents of surveillance of military bases are not new, similar cases have occurred before, but they attracted the attention of the US authorities and became the topic of discussion at a meeting in the White House.
- Some lawmakers have called for giving the military more freedom to act in response to the threat posed by unidentified drones.
- Detecting and responding to the threat, identifying the origin of the drones, as well as the possible response to these actions remain among the main tasks for the Pentagon, the FBI and other agencies in the United States.
What drones can monitor US bases
According to the publication, US senior official Kelly noted that "the show usually starts about 45 minutes after sunset."
The first spotted drone was about 6 meters long, moving at a speed of more than 160 km/h at an altitude of 900 to 1200 meters.
The drones were flying south across the Chesapeake Bay toward Norfolk, home of SEAL Team Six and the world's largest military port, Norfolk Station.
The military could not determine whether the drones belonged to hobbyists or enemy forces, and even suggested that Russia or China might be behind it, testing the US response.
Under current law, the military is not allowed to shoot down drones near bases unless they pose an immediate threat. Because of this, the military had limited options for action, although some lawmakers called for "greater freedom of action."
These incidents caught the attention of President Joe Biden and became a topic of discussion at a White House meeting. The Pentagon, the FBI and other agencies tried to find explanations and ways to respond to the threat, the publication writes.
This is not the first time that drones have been monitoring US military bases
As the publication notes, in October 2023, five drones were spotted over a nuclear facility in Nevada, which disappeared a few days later, leaving the question of their purpose unanswered.
In January 2024, a swarm of drones was spotted near Edwards Air Force Base in California, which also raised concerns. Officials confirmed that similar incidents have been happening near the base for several months.
