There have been “multiple” cases of drones entering airspace at an Army weapons station in New Jersey, officials there said Friday, as concerns continue to grow. over widespread drone surveillance in the region
Naval Weapons Station Earle, based in Colts Neck, New Jersey, said it was “aware” of the outbreaks in the region and “continues to coordinate closely with federal and state agencies to ensure the safety of our personnel and operations.”
“While no direct threat to the installation has been identified, we can confirm several instances of unidentified drones entering the airspace over Naval Weapons Station Earle,” Bill Addison, the naval station’s public affairs officer, said in a statement to ABC News. “The base is prepared to respond to potential threats by leveraging robust security measures and advanced detection capabilities.”
A view of the Naval Weapons Station Earle sign located at the main side gate.
US Army
The base did not say when the incidents occurred.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy expressed “growing concern” about reports of drones in the New Jersey area in a letter to President Joe Biden. shared on Friday while asking for more resources “to fully understand what is behind this activity.”
New Jersey State Police have received reports of drone sightings since Nov. 18, Murphy said.
“New Jersey residents deserve more detailed information about these UAS sightings and what they are causing,” he wrote in Thursday’s letter, referring to unmanned aircraft systems. “Continued reports of UAS activity have raised more questions than answers and fueled conspiracy theories on social media and other platforms.”
Murphy also wrote to congressional leaders on Thursday about the Department of Homeland Security’s and FBI’s lack of anti-aircraft system authority, urging them to pass legislation empowering state and local law enforcement agencies to use “advanced detection and mitigation technologies.” To deal with UAS.
Residents of northern New Jersey, especially in Morris and Somerset counties, have shared numerous videos and stories about drones being used by hobbyists flying at night since mid-November. Colts Neck is located in Monmouth County, in the eastern part of the state.
Sen. Andy Kim, who was sworn into office earlier this week, spent Thursday night in Hunterdon County, where he lives in Somerset, where he said he saw dozens of drones over a two-hour period.
“The people deserve answers,” Kim said the journalists after his visit to the region. “We don’t need conspiracy theories or conjecture, we just need to make sure the people who are responsible for keeping us safe are on top of this and a line of communication so that people feel their government is taking this seriously.”
Again he reiterated his call for a federal investigation by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. Kim was one of four senators from New York and New Jersey — along with Democrats Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand and Cory Booker — who wrote a letter to federal officials Wednesday calling for action.
“We write with grave concern regarding the unmanned aerial system (UAS) activity that has impacted communities in New York and New Jersey over the past few days,” the letter said.
Although the letter did not specifically mention Naval Weapons Station Earle, the drones were “from critical infrastructure and sensitive locations, including reservoirs and military installations.”
Multiple drones are seen in Bernardsville, NJ on December 5, 2024.
Brian Glenn/TMX via AP, FILE
The White House downplayed some of the residents’ concerns at a press conference Thursday, with national security communications adviser John Kirby saying that “many” of the drone sightings are by legally operated manned aircraft.
They said they were unable to “verify some of the reported outbreaks” using their detection techniques, but are still investigating.
“We have not reported any evidence at this time that the drone incidents pose a national security or public safety threat, or that they have a foreign connection,” Kirby added. “The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are investigating these sightings, and are working closely with state and local law enforcement to provide resources using multiple detection methods to better understand their origins.”
Kim, after seeing the drones with her own eyes late Thursday, said the comments weren’t necessarily reassuring to residents.
“It’s hard for people to feel safe when there are unexplained drones flying overhead and they’re not getting the answers they need from the federal investigation,” Kim said. “This has been going on for weeks and I’m just as frustrated as everyone else that I’m not getting more information and details. That’s why I went out to see for myself, and I’m grateful that the local police took me.”
New York City’s elected officials have asked the NYPD to investigate drone warnings in the Staten Island borough and asked federal officials to provide more answers.
“Millions of people around here — New Jersey, of course here on Staten Island, and beyond, don’t get anything, ‘Don’t believe what you see,'” Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said at a news conference Friday. .
The briefing was held near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, where Fossella said he had recently heard reports of what is believed to be a drone flying over the bridge.
“The people of Staten Island deserve answers. The people of this city and state and region deserve answers about what the hell is going on,” he added.
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Friday he saw “dozens of large drones” fly over his Davidsonville residence for about 45 minutes Thursday night, as he criticized what he called the federal government’s “reckless response.”
“Like many who have observed these drones, I don’t know if this activity going up in our skies is a threat to public safety or national security,” he said at X, while sharing a two-minute video of the activity. “But the public is increasingly concerned and frustrated with the total lack of transparency and the dismissive attitude of the federal government.”
“People are rightly asking for answers, but they’re not getting them,” he added.
