Defense officials are warning that the Pentagon remains ill-prepared to defend its military installations against the growing threat of drone incursions, citing a surge in unauthorized flights over sensitive U.S. sites last year, including a mass swarm over Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia.
Rear Adm. Paul Spedero, Vice Director for Operations for the Joint Staff, told lawmakers Tuesday during a House oversight subcommittee hearing:
“Mass drone incursions over Langley in December 2023 reminded us that the homeland is no longer a sanctuary. Should our adversary choose to employ drones for surveillance or even attack, we would not be prepared to adequately defend our homeland and only marginally capable to defend our military installations.”
In 2023 alone, the Pentagon recorded 350 drone sightings over 100 different bases, including Plant 42 in California and Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey. The incidents have exposed confusion over which authorities are allowed to act, and when.
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While U.S. officials have not confirmed who is behind the incursions, Rep. William Timmons called them “a coordinated effort by our adversaries to collect valuable intelligence,” pointing to potential state actors like China and Russia. Defense leaders also acknowledged that adversaries have already used drone flights for surveillance and espionage.
To address the gap, U.S. Northern Command recently issued a new standard operating procedure, offering a playbook for base commanders to request assistance during drone incidents. Officials are also pushing for a legislative fix – an expansion of Section 130i – to grant drone defense authority to all military installations, not just a limited few.
“This will enhance our ability to defend all installations and facilitate better coordination with interagency partners,” said Mark Ditlevson, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs.
Still, officials acknowledged that until broader authorities and coordination mechanisms are in place, the Pentagon’s ability to respond remains limited.
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