FBI officials have revealed that the agency knows disturbingly little about a mysterious drone that has been spotted over New Jersey.
Asked whether Americans were “at risk,” Robert Wheeler, deputy director of the FBI's Major Incident Response Group, told Congress, “There's nothing known that would compel us to say that. , we just don't know, and that's worrying.” part. “
In recent weeks, dozens of drones have been seen flying near sensitive areas such as military research facilities.
The FBI is investigating the incident and is appealing to the public for additional information.
According to Governor Phil Murphythere were 49 reports of drones on Sunday alone, most of them in Hunterdon County.
New Jersey Drone Sightings Map (Fox & Friends/Screenshot)
The FBI Deputy Director's comments were made during a joint hearing of two Homeland Security subcommittees on unmanned aircraft systems.
New Jersey drone sightings: military analyst shoots down national security concerns, suspects hobbyists were involved
“We still don't believe it was the fault of any individual or group. We're investigating, but we don't have answers as to who or who is responsible for the drone flight.” said Wheeler. .
“It's crazy, it's crazy that we don't know what these drones are,” said Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Texas).
“Right now, many Americans are very frustrated and are essentially wondering where my tax dollars are going,” he added, noting how much of the FBI's budget goes to counter-drone countermeasures. I asked Mr. Wheeler if he was aware of this.
Mr. Wheeler responded that approximately $500,000 would go toward anti-drone technology and its deployment within the FBI.
“No wonder we don't know what the hell is going on!” replied the senator.
The drone was spotted over North Jersey on Tuesday. (Nicholas Lordi)
Mysterious drone sightings continue to be reported in New Jersey
Border agency officials also said during the hearing that in the past six weeks, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sensors have recorded 6,900 drone flights near the U.S. border that could have threatened the lives of CBP officers. It also revealed that some of them were at risk. transporting drugs.
CBP was unable to engage approximately 95% of these drones. The drone did not violate U.S. airspace; it was hovering close to the border.
Keith Jones, CBP's chief of air and maritime operations, said no funding had been allocated to CBP for counter-drone procedures.
Drones as large as SUVs have been seen hovering in the Garden State's skies, as well as smaller, more quickly maneuverable drones similar to so-called “drone motherships” deployed in Ukraine, Russia and China. A possible drone has also been sighted, Fox News contributor Brett said. Velikovic said.
The mothership launches small drones, but lacks the ranging antennas needed to carry them long distances. Velikovich said this suggests a foreign enemy may be operating in New Jersey.
New Jersey authorities were unable to intercept the drone due to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.
For the first time, experts have warned that the United States lacks clear anti-drone procedures after 17 unmanned vehicles entered restricted airspace over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia in December last year. .
The mysterious drones swarmed for more than two weeks. Lacking standard procedures for such intrusions, Langley authorities didn't know what to do other than hover a 20-foot-long drone near the sensitive facility.
Brad Wigman, assistant attorney general for national security, urged Congress to give law enforcement the legal authority to shoot down drones that may be considered a threat.
“Legal authority is needed because, without it, the most effective types of drone detection and counter-drone technology cannot be used to destroy or disable an aircraft in flight or to intercept signals or communications,” he said. “This could potentially violate criminal law, including the Penal Code.”
The Justice Department's current counter-drone authority is set to expire in 10 days, and Wiegman called on Congress to not only renew but expand it.
“The two issues that are most important to us are, first, expanding the types of sites that law enforcement can protect from malicious and suspicious drone users, which means, for example, as we said in our opening statement; , airports, critical infrastructure, “power plants and chemical facilities,” he continued.
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“The second thing, which my colleagues at the FBI mentioned earlier, is to give state and local law enforcement agencies and critical infrastructure operators the power to engage in counter-drone efforts on a national scale. This is not a job that the federal government can do alone.”
