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Langley Air Force Base, located in one of the most strategic areas of the country, across the Chesapeake Bay from the sprawling Naval Station Norfolk and the open Atlantic, was at the epicenter of waves of mysterious drone incursions that occurred throughout December.\u00a0The War Zone<\/em>\u00a0has been investigating these incidents and the response to them for months. We know that they were so troubling and persistent that they prompted bringing in advanced assets from around the U.S. government, including one of NASA’s\u00a0WB-57F high-flying research planes<\/a>. Now the U.S. Air Force has confirmed to us that they did indeed occur and provided details on the timeframe and diversity of drones involved.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This spate of bizarre drone incursions deeply underscores the still-growing threats that\u00a0uncrewed aerial systems present on<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0off traditional battlefields<\/a>, and\u00a0to military<\/a>\u00a0and critical civilian infrastructure,\u00a0issues\u00a0The War Zone<\/em>\u00a0has been<\/a>\u00a0highlighting\u00a0in great detail for years<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n “The installation first observed UAS [uncrewed aerial systems] activities the evening of December 6 [2023] and experienced multiple incursions throughout the month of December. The number of UASs fluctuated and they ranged in size\/configuration,” a spokesperson for Langley Air Force Base told\u00a0The War Zone<\/em>\u00a0in a statement earlier today. “None of the incursions appeared to exhibit hostile intent but anything flying in our restricted airspace can pose a threat to flight safety. The FAA was made aware of the UAS incursions.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n “To protect operational security, we do not discuss impacts to operations,” the statement added. “We don\u2019t discuss our specific force protection measures but retain the right to protect the installation. Langley continues to monitor our air space and work with local law enforcement and other federal agencies to ensure the safety of base personnel, facilities, and assets.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n