Unidentified drone activity caused officials to close the airspace over Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio for approximately four hours late Friday into early Saturday, according to base officials.
Bob Purtiman, public affairs chief for the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson, confirmed the incident, stating that “unmanned aerial systems” were detected near the base. “Our leadership has determined that none of the incursions impacted residents, facilities, or assets,” Purtiman told WHIO. He added that the base is taking appropriate measures to ensure the safety of personnel and infrastructure.
A Notice to Airmen posted on a federal website indicated that the base’s Class D airspace, which typically extends around an airport up to 2,500 feet, was closed during the event. Recordings from the base’s air traffic control tower, published by The War Zone, captured a controller warning a MedFlight helicopter of “heavy UAS movement” on the base and advising caution.
The drone activity at Wright-Patterson occurs amid increasing reports of unidentified drones across the United States, particularly in Northeast states like New Jersey, New York, and Virginia.
How are dozens of SUV-sized drones flying over New Jersey on a nightly basis and nobody in our government knows where they’re coming from or what they’re doing?
FBI, Congress, local officials – all baffled.
And no one is even talking about it?
WHAT?!pic.twitter.com/7ldNDqF94Y
— The Kevin Harlan Effect (@KevHarlanEffect) December 11, 2024
🚨 BREAKING – Probably the clearest Drone/UAPD Sighting that I’ve seen in New Jersey, taken in Last Night in Neptune, N.J.
– GuitarLand#Ufotwitter #Ufos #Uap #Ufox #LueElizondo #Ovni #Alien #Disclosure #DavidGrusch #Uaphearing #NJ #NewJerseyUFO #Drones pic.twitter.com/P2lcdM5bJW
— T R U T H P O L E (@Truthpolex) December 13, 2024
Concerns have been raised following similar drone sightings near other military installations, such as New Jersey’s Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle. Federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and the FAA, have stated that investigations into these incidents have found no evidence of a national security threat thus far.
Officials emphasize that while no harm has been reported, the Pentagon takes unauthorized access to its airspace seriously. Local commanders are working closely with law enforcement agencies to implement drone detection and mitigation measures.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, located near Dayton, Ohio, is home to critical operations, including the Air Force Research Lab, which focuses on countering emerging technological threats.
