Ocean County Leader

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, concerns were raised about swarms of drones reported across the United States, including over military facilities and power infrastructure in New Jersey. U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of NORTHCOM and NORAD, highlighted the potential threat posed by these drones in terms of detection and surveillance of sensitive installations.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) criticized the Biden administration's response to the drone sightings, particularly those over Naval Weapons Station Earle in his district. He stated that "the near constant drone sightings were met with no serious response from the Biden administration," which he accused of ignoring New Jersey residents' concerns.

Gen. Guillot reported 350 detections on military installations last year, covering 100 different sites with varying security levels. Despite these reports, John Kirby, Biden National Security Communications Adviser, claimed that there was no public safety risk from these sightings after analysis and corroboration.

Smith expressed dissatisfaction with Kirby's comments and criticized former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's Department of Defense for not acting against what he perceives as a serious threat. He also expressed confidence that President Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth would empower commanders to address such threats effectively.

Smith has been actively seeking more information about these drones and proposed legislation to enable state law enforcement units to detect and stop unlawful drone activities.