General Business
By George N. Saliba, Contributing Writer On Dec 11, 2024
Ongoing reports of drones – technically Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) – in New Jersey’s air space have concerned authorities and residents alike, with UAS seen near and/or over electric transmission lines, water reservoirs, the Hunterdon County 911 Center, President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf course, and Picatinny Arsenal, a key military research and manufacturing facility located in Morris County. The US military has confirmed 11 sightings of unauthorized UAS over Picatinny Arsenal airspace since November 13, and the FBI’s Assistant Director of the Critical Incident Response Group, Robert Wheeler, Jr., told a US House of Representatives subcommittee that the FBI’s tip line had received more than 3,000 reports of UAS sightings throughout the Garden State in recent weeks.
While various government officials have repeatedly stated the UAS do not pose an imminent threat, officials such as Florham Park Police Chief Joseph J. Orlando said the UAS’ “presence appears nefarious in nature.” And while Gov. Phil Murphy said he does not see a public safety issue, he also stated the UAS are “very sophisticated,” adding, “The minute you get eyes on them, they go dark.”
When asked if the public’s safety is at risk, the FBI’s Wheeler offered a qualified response during his House December 10 subcommittee testimony: “There is nothing that is known that would lead me to say that, but we just don’t know, and that’s the concerning part.”
Later, when pressed again if there is a possibility of a threat, Wheeler testified, “Yes. I am cognizant – and we all are in the FBI, of what this threat can look like – anywhere across the spectrum of sophisticated state actors – adversaries – that want to hurt us, all the way through counterterrorism matters, cyber, WMD, criminal, all the way down to a nuisance drone that could cause harm. So, that’s the wide spectrum that concerns me every day. It concerns me that we don’t know the answer to your question yet.”
Unknown Origin and Cause
For now, the origin of New Jersey’s UAS are either not known or have not been disclosed, and there has been no reported nexus to other UAS reports in recent weeks: According to the US Air Force, beginning on November 20, “a number” of UAS were reported over US military assets operated at United Kingdom airbases RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Feltwell, and RAF Fairford, prompting the U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority to impose flight restrictions for surrounding airspace.
Overall, as of November 1, more than 600 UAS incursions have been reported over US military installations since 2022, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a United States and Canada bi-national organization tasked with aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America. This includes UAS incursions over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia earlier this year, of which Air Force General Mark Kelly told The Wall Street Journal, in part, that the UAS were approximately 20 feet in length.
While the US Intelligence Community’s (IC’s) most famous agency is the CIA, an additional 17 US intelligence agencies and organizations are spread across both the US Department of Defense and other agencies. Thus far, however, the FBI – alongside state and local authorities – is investigating the unauthorized UAS in New Jersey, and it is appealing to the public for more information via its aforementioned tips line.
Numerous reports indicate the UAS in New Jersey are between 12 and 25 feet in length, meaning they are reportedly not Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS), which are usually compact and weigh less than 55 pounds. As of March 16, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires UAS to have Remote ID data, broadcasting – among other things – the drone ID, its location and altitude, and its control station location.
Counter-UAS Solutions
While it is a federal crime for civilians to shoot down UAS, when drones pose a threat, law enforcement and the military can leverage Counter-UAS (C-UAS) technologies to mitigate drones – including so-called “jamming” and, separately, essentially disorienting the UAS’ GPS system. Neither task is necessarily easy, and kinetic action such as firing projectiles can result in collateral damage including injuries/fatalities on the ground.
Of note, in February 2023, the US Department of Defense chose to not to shoot down a People’s Republic of China (PRC) high-altitude spy balloon over the continental United States, because, in part, it said that doing so could endanger civilians on the ground. DoD indicated the balloon was not a threat to people on the ground as long as it remained in the air; it was ultimately downed off the coast of South Carolina by an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile fired from a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor.
Calls for Action
Again, while there has not been identification regarding the UAS in New Jersey, on December 10, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FBI, and FAA, “urging them to immediately provide more information on [the] current drone sightings to the public.” Gottheimer also introduced legislation to expand federal grants via the COPS Technology Grant and Equipment Program so that local law enforcement can obtain radar systems to track drones. Gottheimer additionally helped lead the introduction of the Drone Act, which would make it illegal to attach a weapon to a drone and provide prison sentences for those using drones to “interfere with emergency-response activity, law-enforcement activity, or military operations.”
Republican State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Jon Bramnick meanwhile urged Gov. Phil Murphy to declare a limited state of emergency and ban all drones throughout the state until the public is given an explanation regarding their presence.
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