Hundreds of drones flew over U.S. military bases last year, with some possibly engaged in surveillance, General Gregory M. Guillot told lawmakers during a recent Senate hearing.
Guillot, who leads U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), revealed that approximately 350 drones were detected over 100 military sites in 2024.
A significant concentration of drone activity was reported in New Jersey, while others were spotted over key installations, including Joint Base Langley, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and Vandenberg Space Force Base.
“The primary threat I see for them in the way they’ve been operating is detection and perhaps surveillance of sensitive capabilities on our installations,” Guillot told lawmakers.
At today’s hearing, Sen. Cotton asks Gen. Guillot about drone threats to US military bases.
Guillot says that over the last year, there were 350 detections over a total of more than 100 installations of all types and levels of security.
Main threat is detection and surveillance pic.twitter.com/7dJXKf04f3
— 🜃Meta Material (@MetaStudioLogic) February 13, 2025
Guillot stressed the need for enhanced authority to effectively counter these unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
The general advocated for the expansion of Section 130i under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which pertains to the protection of certain facilities and assets from unmanned aircraft. He proposed extending these authorities to include all military installations, not just the currently covered ones.
He noted that only about half of the 360 U.S. bases are designated as “covered installations,” and have authority to deploy defensive measures against drone incursions.
Additionally, he recommended expanding the defensive perimeter beyond the immediate boundaries of installations to address threats from drones capable of conducting surveillance from outside base perimeters.
The increasing frequency of drone incursions has prompted calls for legislative action. Senator Tom Cotton expressed concern over the current limitations, emphasizing the need for base commanders to have the necessary authority and capabilities to protect their installations.
He, along with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, is advocating for legislation to expand these authorities and hold commanders accountable for defending their bases against such threats.
The issue of drone incursions is not confined to domestic military bases. In late 2024, unauthorized drone activities were reported over several U.S. Air Force bases in the United Kingdom, including RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall. These incidents prompted joint monitoring and countermeasures by U.S. and UK military personnel.
