A drone sighting at one of America’s most important military bases was more serious than previously reported, according to a leaked document.
A shelter-in-place order was issued at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana on March 9 after an “unmanned aerial system” was spotted over the airfield.
The order was lifted later that day. However, a confidential internal briefing obtained by ABC News revealed that Barksdale detected “multiple waves of 12–15 drones” flying around the base over the next week, including in “sensitive areas” of the installation and near flight lines.
The appearance of the unidentified drones during Donald Trump’s war in Iran raised particular concern, as Barksdale is one of just two U.S. military bases that house long-range B-52 bombers capable of carrying out global nuclear strikes.
The leaked document, dated March 15, said the drones’ movement in and out of the base suggested attempts were made to “avoid the operator(s) being located.” The briefing also said lights on the drones suggested the operators were testing security responses at the base.
“After reaching multiple points across the installation, the drones dispersed across sensitive locations on the base,” the document said.
The drones reportedly flew around the base for about four hours each day and appeared to maneuver carefully around restricted areas. The briefing also suggested the drones may have been custom-built by someone with “advanced knowledge” of signal operations.
“Certainly, it seemed to be more than just your average drone enthusiast who just pushed it too far,” Mick Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense, told ABC News. “It looked like this was deliberate and intentional to see just how they would react.”
“Flying a drone over a military installation is not only a safety issue, it is a criminal offense under federal law,” Capt. Hunter Rininger of the 2nd Bomb Wing said in a statement regarding the Barksdale incidents.
“We are working closely with federal and local law enforcement agencies to investigate these incursions. The security of our installation and the safety of our people are top priorities, and we will continue to vigilantly monitor our airspace.”
There was also a major security alert after unidentified drones were spotted over Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D.C., where several top Trump administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, live.
The U.S. has been on high alert since Trump launched the war in Iran on Feb. 28. Last week, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida both raised their force protection level to Charlie, which is implemented when intelligence suggests an attack against U.S. personnel or facilities is likely.
The Daily Beast has contacted the Air Force for comment.
