Mystery drones circled around Langley Air Force Base for weeks in December

Several unmanned drones circled Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for weeks in December 2023. While the U.S. Air Force confirmed these incidents, it is still uncertain who owned the drones and why they appeared to be monitoring the base, according to the Washington Examiner.

The drones were first identified on December 6, 2023, according to government officials. They reportedly varied in size and configuration, and officials could not say if they had flown over nearby defense facilities during or around the same time.

However, the authorities became so concerned about the situation that they deployed "advanced assets," including one of NASA's WB-57F high-flying research planes.

A spokesperson for Langley Air Force Base told the War Zone that "none of the incursions appeared to exhibit hostile intent but anything flying in our restricted airspace can pose a threat to flight safety."

“The [Federal Aviation Administration] was made aware of the UAS incursions. To protect operational security, we do not discuss impacts to operations. We [also] don’t 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.”

While none of the drones appeared to be hostile, Langley Air Force Base is "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," per War Zone.

During a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee last week, U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot — who is the head of U.S. Northern Command and the U.S.-Canadian North American Defense Command — made what appeared to be the first acknowledgement of drones swarming around Langley Air Force Base.

"Upon taking command, I began a 90-day assessment to inform the Department [of Defense], the Joint Force, and Congress on NORAD and NORTHCOM's ability to execute assigned tasks and make recommendations on where the commands could or should do more," Guillot said.

"Once complete, I look forward to sharing my findings and updated vision on how NORAD and NORTHCOM will best execute the noble mission of homeland defense."

"As part of my 90-day assessment ... to tell the truth, the counter-UAS [uncrewed aircraft systems] mission has dominated that so far in the first month. Of course, I knew it was an issue coming from another combatant command [CENTCOM], where we faced that threat in a very different way because of the environment."

"But I wasn't prepared for the number of incursions that I see. [I've] gone into the events at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, and I'm using that as the centerpiece of my 90-day assessment."

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