Government officials on Monday responded to recent drone sightings near an Air Force base in Ohio, noting that the incident appears to be unrelated to unusual sightings in the Northeast.
The drone was spotted near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Greene County over the weekend. The base closed its airspace for four hours Saturday after receiving reports of the sighting. According to its websiteWright-Patterson is “the headquarters of a vast global logistics system, has world-class laboratory research capabilities, and is the U.S. Air Force's most advanced acquisition and development center.”
Robert Partiman, 88th Air Base Wing public affairs director, confirmed in a statement to Fox News that authorities were aware of the drone's presence.
“We can confirm that a small unmanned aircraft system was spotted near and over Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on December 13th and 14th,” Putman's statement said. “To date, base leadership has determined that any incursions have not impacted base populations, facilities, or property.”
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A strange drone was spotted near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Greene County, Ohio over the weekend. (Google Maps)
“We are taking all appropriate measures to protect Wright-Patterson and its residents. Our forces continue to monitor the airspace and work with local authorities to ensure the safety of base personnel, facilities and assets. We are cooperating.”
On Monday, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that the Pentagon does not believe the Ohio drone is related to other drones seen across the country. Ryder also said the recent drones are unrelated to those seen near Langley Air Force Base last year.
Putnam's statement added that USAD “does not discuss specific force protection measures” due to security concerns, but “will maintain them.”[s] The right to protect our facilities. ”
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A map showing some of the locations where mysterious drones were sighted in the northeastern United States in December 2024. (Fox News)
“We urge people in the Wright-Patterson area to contact local law enforcement or security forces if they see anything suspicious, including unmanned aircraft or drone activity,” Putnam added. .
The drone was discovered the same weekend that U.S. officials took a call with journalists to discuss an unusual drone sighting. Representatives from the FBI, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Security Council (NSC), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Department of Defense (DOD) participated in the conference call.
During the call, officials seemed to downplay concerns about the drone while remaining tight-lipped about its origins, which are still under investigation.
Photo taken on Sunday, December 8, 2024 in the Bayshore neighborhood of Toms River. Photo of what appears to be a large drone hovering over the area at high altitude in New Jersey. The drone appeared to be well above the 400-foot height allowed by FAA regulations. (Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)
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“We are working hard to determine the origin of that particular…drone activity,” the FBI official said. “But I think there was a bit of an overreaction.”
