U.S. Air Force Gen.
Mark Kelly wasn’t sure what to make of reports that a suspicious fleet of unidentified aircraft had been flying over Langley Air Force Base on Virginia’s shoreline.
Kelly, a decorated senior commander at the base, got on a squadron rooftop to see for himself. He joined a handful of other officers responsible for a clutch of the nation’s most advanced jet fighters, including F-22 Raptors.
For several nights, military personnel had reported a mysterious breach of restricted airspace over a stretch of land that has one of the largest concentrations of national-security facilities in the U.S. The show usually starts 45 minutes to an hour after sunset, another senior leader told Kelly.
Officials didn’t know if the drone fleet, which numbered as many as a dozen or more over the following nights, belonged to clever hobbyists or hostile forces. Some suspected that Russia or China deployed them to test the response of American forces.
Federal law prohibits the military from shooting down drones near military bases in the U.S. unless they pose an imminent threat. Aerial snooping doesn’t qualify, though some lawmakers hope to give the military greater leeway.
Reports of the drones reached President Biden and set off two weeks of White House meetings after the aircraft first appeared in December last year. Officials from agencies including the Defense Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pentagon’s UFO office joined outside experts to throw out possible explanations as well as ideas about how to respond.
The first drone arrived shortly. Kelly, a career fighter pilot, estimated it was roughly 20 feet long and flying at more than 100 miles an hour, at an altitude of roughly 3,000 to 4,000 feet.
Other drones followed, one by one, sounding in the distance like a parade of lawn mowers.
The drones headed south, across Chesapeake Bay, toward Norfolk, Va., and over an area that includes the home base for the Navy’s SEAL Team Six and Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest naval port.
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This is just another excuse for the government to strip away our rights. First, it’s drones near military bases, then it’ll be drones in our backyards, all in the name of 'safety.' They’ll use this as a pretext to keep spying on us under the guise of 'national security.
@ChowderChrisSocialist2yrs2Y
It’s always the same story—corporations get richer off this fear-mongering while the rest of us suffer. The defense contractors are probably rubbing their hands together, ready to sell the Pentagon a new fleet of overpriced anti-drone systems. Meanwhile, people can’t afford rent.
@BoldChileRepublican2yrs2Y
If we had a real leader, this wouldn't even be an issue. Drones over military bases? Unthinkable. This administration is weak on defense, and we need someone who actually understands the importance of military strength. National security should be non-negotiable
It’s all part of a plan, mark my words. They want us scared so they can push through more surveillance and control measures. Drones today, but what next? Fully armed, autonomous surveillance systems above our heads? Don’t let the government fool you. It’s not about protection—it’s about power
All this talk about defense, but where’s the conversation about corporate accountability? If these drones are from some rogue tech company, there needs to be serious consequences. But, of course, the government only cracks down on the little guys. It’s time to end the corporate stranglehold on our policies!
Oh, great! More taxpayer dollars going to chase after who-knows-what flying over our military bases. They probably don’t even care who’s behind it as long as they can ramp up the defense budget again. This is just the military-industrial complex at its finest, finding another excuse to funnel billions into contracts for 'drone defense systems' we probably don't need.
Of course, Biden’s administration can’t keep our airspace secure. If this were happening under a strong, conservative leader, we’d already know who’s behind it and dealt with it swiftly. Instead, we’re mired in bureaucratic nonsense, and national security is left hanging by a thread.
You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is another distraction to cover up something more insidious. With the right-wing spreading disinformation daily, who knows what they’re trying to divert our attention from? Meanwhile, there’s no talk about healthcare or the climate crisis because we’re too busy watching the military chase lawn mowers in the sky."
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