Officials respond to drone sighting near major Air Force base in Ohio: 'Taking all appropriate measures'
Government officials have responded to the recent drone sightings near an Air Force base in Ohio on Monday, noting that the incidents appear unrelated to the unusual sightings in the Northeast.
The drones were seen near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Greene County over the weekend. Following the sightings, the base closed its airspace for four hours on Saturday. According to its website, Wright-Patterson is "headquarters for a vast, worldwide logistics system, a world-class laboratory research function, and is the foremost acquisition and development center in the U.S. Air Force."
In a statement to Fox News, Robert Purtiman, Chief of Public Affairs of the 88th Air Base Wing, confirmed that officials were aware of the drones.
"I can confirm that small unmanned aerial systems were spotted in the vicinity of and over Wright-Patterson AFB between 13-14 December," Putman's statement read. "To date, installation leaders have determined that none of the incursions impacted base residents, facilities, or assets."
"We are taking all appropriate measures to safeguard Wright-Patterson and its residents. Our units continue to monitor the airspace and are working with local authorities to ensure the safety of base personnel, facilities, and assets."
On Monday, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that the Pentagon does not believe the Ohio drones are connected with the other drones spotted around the country. Ryder also said the recent drones are unrelated to those seen near Langley Air Force Base last year.
Putnam's statement added that the USAD does not "discuss specific force protection measures" out of concern for security, but that it "retain[s] the right to protect our installations."
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"We request individuals around Wright-Patterson to contact either local police or our Security Forces personnel if they see anything suspicious, to include sUAS or drone activity," Putnam added.
The drones were spotted on the same weekend that U.S. officials hopped on a call with journalists to discuss the unusual drone sightings. The conference call included representatives from the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Security Council (NSC), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD).
During the call, officials seemed to downplay concerns about the drones while remaining tight-lipped about its origins, which are still being investigated.
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"We're doing our best to find the origin of that specific … those drone activities," an FBI official said. "But I think there has been a slight overreaction."