Swarms of drones over U.S. military installations—possibly launched from a UFO “mother ship”—sound like something straight out of a sci-fi film. Yet, the U.S. Department of Defense is currently investigating these mysterious occurrences, with theories ranging from alien activity to foreign espionage.
A recent 50-page report, released after a press inquiry, details sightings of unidentified drones recorded over 17 consecutive days in December of last year. The drones, equipped with flashing red, green, and white lights, appeared at dusk and were heard buzzing through restricted airspace near Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, home to the cutting-edge F-22 Raptors, and close to the base of Navy SEAL Team Six.
Former Pentagon security chief Chris Mellon expressed concern, noting that the drones bypassed defense systems designed to jam radio signals. In an interview with The Daily Mail, Mellon suggested that the drones’ operators made no attempt to hide their presence. “It’s as if they wanted to be seen,” he remarked.
Is there a UFO mothership involved?
Mellon also pointed to similar incidents at other sensitive locations, such as Lockheed Martin’s secretive military project facility in Palmdale, California. He suggested that these drone swarms were launched from a large “mother ship.” So far, the U.S. government has no official explanation, as confirmed by Air Combat Command’s General Mark Kelly.
For the past ten months, the Air Force has been investigating the sightings, with NASA also deploying its advanced WB-57F research aircraft. General Kelly emphasized the seriousness of the situation, posing the question, “What would people think if this happened over a shopping mall?”
The drones, measuring about six meters in length, flew at altitudes between 900 and 1,200 meters and at speeds of approximately 160 km/h. At one point, witnesses observed nine drones flying in a diamond formation.
Speculation about the source of the drones continues. While their lack of unusual flight patterns and audible propulsion seem to rule out extraterrestrial technology, some suspect the drones could be the work of hobbyists or agents of foreign espionage. The Wall Street Journal recently cited the case of a Chinese student sentenced to six months in prison for using drones to photograph Navy warships. And earlier in 2023, a massive Chinese spy balloon traversed the U.S. before being shot down, adding to the growing concern about foreign surveillance.