Mystery Drones Swarmed a U.S. Military Base for 17 Days. The Pentagon Is Stumped.

U.S. security officials remain perplexed after an unidentified fleet of drones invaded restricted military airspace for 17 consecutive days last December.

According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, military personnel observed the enigmatic drones over a designated area at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. The drones typically appeared in the sky 45 minutes to an hour after sunset each night.

Former Air Force General Mark Kelly first learned of the drone sightings in December 2023. The drones’ persistent presence raised suspicions among Pentagon officials, who speculated they might be linked to espionage activities by Chinese or Russian agents.

However, because the drones did not present an immediate threat, and with uncertainty regarding their intentions—whether they were employed for nefarious purposes or simply operated by hobbyists—the military refrained from shooting them down, considering the potential risks to both personnel and civilians.

The White House convened discussions with the Defense Department, the FBI, the Pentagon’s UFO office, and external experts to explore possible responses to the mystery drones. However, several proposed measures, including using nets to capture the drones or employing electronic signals to disrupt their navigation, were ultimately deemed impractical.