Barksdale Air Force Base (BAFB) in Louisiana, one of the largest and most strategically important bases of the United States Air Force, admitted on March 20th that the base was disrupted by drones during the week of March 9th but did not disclose details. It wasn’t until March 28th when media outlets revealed some specifics about the drone intrusion at Barksdale Air Force Base. From March 9th to 15th, multiple batches of drones were detected flying in sensitive areas of the base, exhibiting non-commercial signal characteristics, as well as long-range control and anti-jamming capabilities.
This confidential briefing document noted that from March 9th to 15th, the BAFB security teams observed multiple batches of 12 to 15 drones flying over sensitive areas of the base, including the flight runway. These drones displayed non-commercial signal features, long-range control links, and anti-jamming capabilities. After arriving at various locations on the base, the drones dispersed into different sensitive areas.
The drones entered and exited the base in batches, flying for approximately four hours each day using different entry and exit routes, indicating that the operators may have been attempting to “avoid detection.” Pre-set flights in sensitive areas with lights on the drones indicated that the operators were potentially “testing the base’s security response.”
The document also mentioned that no drone activities were detected on March 13th and 14th, and it remains unclear if there have been subsequent instances of drone activities.
Barksdale Air Force Base is home to remote B-52 bombers and plays a crucial role in the command and control of the Air Force’s nuclear defense capabilities. After receiving reports of “drone systems operating over the base” on March 9th, the base issued a shelter-in-place order.
Regarding the drone intrusion incident, Barksdale Air Force Base stated, “Flying drones over military facilities not only poses a safety hazard but also violates federal laws, constituting a criminal offense. We are closely cooperating with federal and local law enforcement agencies to investigate these intrusion incidents. The safety of the base and personnel is our top priority, and we will continue to closely monitor our airspace.”