17 Nights of Drone Swarms at Langley AFB - A True Story
The current drone swarm in New Jersey is similar to what happened in 2023. Who is behind this?
17 Nights of Drone Swarms
In December 2023 Langley Air Force Base in Virginia became the focus of a concerning security puzzle as it experienced weeks of unexplained drone or UFO activities. Some brief background on Langley. The base is strategic for many reasons. Some of the assigned air and intelligence assets include two F-22 squadrons based there – the 27th Fighter Squadron and 94th Fighter Squadron. It is one of the oldest Air Force bases. It was established in 1916 right before America entered into World War I. In 2010, Langley Air Force Base was combined with Fort Eustis to become Joint Base Langley-Eustis.
The U.S. Air Force confirmed that swarms of drone-like aircraft were first spotted on December 6th. They came in various sizes and configurations, creating concerns over airspace security and safety. Langley canceled nighttime missions to mitigate risks during the 17 nights of drone incursions.
The situation at Langley is more than a fleeting enigma; it reminds us of the evolving challenges in safeguarding our skies.
The Wall Street Journal reported that General Glen Van Herck, at the time commander of the U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, said Uncrewed Air Systems or drones have been seen flying around defense installations for years. However, the nightly drone swarms over Langley were unlike any past incursion. They didn’t just loiter around the perimeter for a few minutes. These drones seemed more sophisticated and powerful than anything a hobbyist has. General Van Herck stated "some of the drones were estimated up to 20 feet in length. They began flying over Langley after sunset each evening.”
These drones moved quickly, clocking speeds over 100 mph and flying at altitudes around 3,000 to 4,000 feet. They didn’t just fly over Langley for one night. For 17 nights, they evaded detection, baffling radar systems. The size speed and operating altitude suggest a level of sophistication of a nefarious nature. Who was operating them? Foreign spies? Terrorists? The U.S. Space Force? Were they UFOs?
FOIA Witness Statements - Dronebusters Failed
22 Witness statements were released through FOIA requests and reported by Liberation Times. These are wild. They help paint the picture at what happened for the 17 nights in December.
One witness said the craft were moving at rapid speeds, ‘flashing red, green, and white lights.” Another witness who was likely part of Langley’s security force claimed their dronebusters ‘failed to register’ on the objects, while another witness stated their dronebuster was ineffective because they couldn’t locate the UAS visually.
Langley’s Base Defense Operations Center contacted a local police department “to assist with tracking drones in residential areas off-base. But they came up empty.
Another witness stated they tracked the drone through night vision goggles and observed “two flashing white lights plus a red and green light on opposing ends of the craft.” The witness added “The drone was flying northeast over the River Point West. After about 30 seconds the drone abruptly changed directions heading 140 degrees southeast of my location into the wood line.’
It's strange that the drones had operating lights like we see on airplanes. Would spies fly drones with lights around a US military base? Spies seem like they’d want to avoid detection. These incursions were bold and almost cocky.
Another witness reported seeing swarms of drones.
‘On December 6th 2023, between the hours of approximately 1830 and 2300 hours, I witnessed between 15 and 20 sUAS [small Unmanned Aircraft Systems] enter and leave the installation at various locations as [redacted].
‘We did constant sector sweeps around the installation, but I was unable to utilize [redacted]. The most common locations were [redacted] King Street Gate and Ward Road coming towards the flight line. On December 7th I was posted at Golf-3 and became a mobile unit after 2000 hrs. I saw approximately 6 sUAS throughout the night at the parking lot near building 330 and near Ward Road heading towards King Street Gate, [redacted].
On December 11th I was posted at [redacted] and was dispatched approximately 3 times on the flight line but was unable to utilize the dronebuster due to not having a visual on the possible sUAS. On December 15th I was posted at [redacted] and was dispatched one time to conduct an Initial Visual Assessment on a possible sUAS but was unable to get a visual due to dense fog.’
On December 6th, another witness recalled seeing nine drones in a diamond formation heading for the base’s flight line:
‘I spotted nine drones in diamond formation flying over [redacted] heading towards the Flight Line. [Redacted] and I followed the swarm onto the flight line where we lost visual of the swarm over the bay.’
One witness stated that they were able to verify that one of the objects seen on December 7th was a fixed-wing drone, despite other witnesses recalling how objects would hover. This suggests a variety of aerial devices were used.
An official incident report was filed by unnamed personnel, including an unnamed captain and lieutenant colonel. They claim that on December 6th 2023, ‘drones’ were witnessed with cameras, sparking concerns of possible foreign surveillance:
On December 6th, at 1845 hrs [redacted] contacted Base Defense Operations Center to report a possible drone sighting over the Shellbank Fitness Center traveling towards [redacted] near the NASA assets at Langley. Base Defense Operations Center directed all posts and patrols to initiate sector sweeps.
‘Throughout the duration of the incident, there were an estimated 15-20 drones over Langley and Bethel Manor. The drones were approximately 3’ x 3’, with four rotors, and had cameras. They consistently stayed around 1500’-2000’ in the air.
‘They primarily focused on the following locations: The Bay near Ward Road, The Marina, Housing, and other redacted locations. The drones were consistently egressing south towards King Street in Hampton and Northeast towards Poquoson. The response lasted until 2330 hrs. At 0020 hrs and 0120 hrs, patrols conducted sector sweeps with negative findings. At 0125 hrs, Security Forces terminated their response.’
This next witness statement is interesting because it describes a drone operator just outside the base perimeter.
‘I was leaving base out of main gate, made a right turn and saw across the street from base a white male, grey hoodie, standing next to a white/black smart car holding a giant remote looking up and flying what seemed to be a R/C [remote controlled] something. His car had a bunch of antenn[ae[ on the roof.’
What’s interesting is that no video footage or still images have emerged from the incident.
Investigation
The Wall Street Journal reported that Air Force General Mark Kelly, a senior commander at Langley, highlighted the unusual nature of the incursions: 'While these drones did not show hostile intent, their presence in restricted airspace poses a safety threat to flight operations, underscoring the risk of mid-air collisions with fighter jets housed on base.
Military officials coordinated an investigation with federal agencies, including the FBI, NORAD, and NASA. Notably, on December 18th and 19th, NASA deployed one of its WB-57 high-altitude jets over Langley during the incursion period to gather additional intelligence through aerial imagery.
'The activation of a specialized NASA aircraft, equipped with what may be the most sophisticated airborne camera system in the world, suggests that the US government was truly baffled by these incidents,' said former Obama-era Pentagon appointee Marik Von Rennenkampff.
A spokesperson for Langley Air Force Base was quoted by the website The War Zone: “The installation first observed uncrewed aerial systems activities the evening of December 6, 2023 and experienced multiple incursions throughout the month of December. The number of uncrewed aerial systems fluctuated and they ranged in size and configuration. 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 incursions.”
Multiple theories exist about the origin of these drones. Some speculate they could be linked to foreign governments. Given that Langley was involved in tracking and downing a Chinese surveillance balloon earlier in 2023, concerns about espionage are valid.
The War Zone also reported that U.S. Air Force General Gregory Guillot made a public statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing and acknowledged the incidents at Langley. General Guillot took command of NORTHCOM and NORAD in February 2024. After taking command, he ordered 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 for changes. In his opening remarks to the Senate committee. “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.”
General Guillot told the Senate committee “as part of my 90-day assessment, … to tell the truth, the mission with counter-uncrewed aircraft systems and drones has dominated so far in the first month. I knew it was an issue coming from another combatant command. But I wasn’t prepared for the number of incursions that I saw. I’ve gone into the events at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, and I’m using that as the centerpiece of my 90-day assessment.”
Adding to speculation that foreign adversaries were responsible for these drone incursions, Fengyun Shi, a Chinese citizen and graduate student at the University of Minnesota, was arrested in January 2024 after a drone he was flying got stuck in a tree in Newport News, Virginia. The timing raised suspicions of a larger network of surveillance operations. Authorities, however, couldn’t directly connect his actions to the Langley incidents. Shi was sentenced to 6 months in prison for espionage.
Others suggest the drones might have been operated by hobbyists, but officials expressed skepticism. As Langley’s public officer noted: “The precise flight paths and repeated incursions suggest a level of coordination that goes beyond typical recreational flying.”
However, others aren’t convinced foreign governments would be so brazen. Flying drones with lights is conspicuous. Foreign assets would likely try to be more stealthy in their efforts.
Another question is whether these devices were operated by potential terrorists. Terrorists may not be as concerned with stealth in an intelligence-gathering exercise. But this could be part of a broader homeland attack strategy similar to October 7th in Israel.
Ongoing Drone Incursions - Laws Prevent Shooting Down Drones Unless An “Imminent Threat”
The incidents at Langley Air Force Base are not isolated. The U.S. has witnessed unidentified drones swarming military bases and infrastructure, including nuclear power plants, and engaging U.S. warships off the Pacific coast from 2016 to 2021. These occurrences underscore a growing concern over the use of drones for surveillance and potentially more nefarious purposes. General Guillott also testified to the Senate committee that the US-Mexico border has at least 1,000 daily drone incursions.
During the drone incidents at Langley, military personnel did not shoot down the drones. During the December events, Langley Air Force personnel were equipped with 'dronebusters' — signal-jamming weaponry designed to counter remotely piloted enemy drones. But the drones 'failed to register' on their anti-drone devices.
According to U.S. law, drones over military bases can only be intercepted if they pose an imminent threat—a restriction that frustrated officials. There is now a growing debate in Congress about expanding military authority over such incidents, particularly given recent advancements in unmanned aerial systems."
General Guillot shared his concerns during a Senate hearing: “This drone activity underscores a gap in our defensive framework. We must adapt as the operational environment evolves.”
Langley Air Force Base officials have since reviewed security protocols, implementing new counter-drone systems and collaborating with agencies to monitor similar incidents. But the question remains—who was behind these flights? And could they return?
The drone swarms at Langley Air Force Base present a complex challenge to national security, blending technological innovation with the age-old game of espionage. As drones become increasingly sophisticated and accessible, their potential use in surveillance or as a tool in more malicious endeavors cannot be overlooked.
So, what do you think? Was this the work of rogue hobbyists, foreign espionage, or something else entirely?
Sources:
Wall Street Journal
Sources: DroneXL
https://dronexl.co/2024/10/13/pentagon-drone-swarm-us-military-base/
Sources: Interesting Engineering
https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/drone-swarms-langley-afb-december-2023
Sources: The War Zone
https://www.twz.com/air/mysterious-drones-swarmed-langley-afb-for-weeks
Sources: US DoD - NORAD testimony
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3707785/
Sources: Daily Mail
Sources: The Verge
Liberation Times
I appreciate this post, BH. Sometimes it’s nice to have it explained to me. I truly mean that with no sarcasm—thank you for explaining a bit about what’s going on with the drones over Langley.
Anyways….my gut says it’s “espionage” that isn’t meant to be totally secret. Like information gathering with a little intimidation mixed in.
I believe these drones belong to our government, if not they need to be shot down and investigated. They have been in our airspace too long. Great article.