Large Number Of ‘unidentified Drones’ Spotted Over Louisiana Air Force Base And Prompted Lockdowns

A ample number of “unauthorized drones” were seen flying over a awesome U.S. Air Force guidelines successful Louisiana, location to long-range B-52 bombers tin of carrying atomic weapons, triggering a lockdown earlier this month.

The siren was raised astatine Barksdale Air Force Base connected March 9 pursuing reports of “an unmanned aerial system” operating complete nan guidelines and comes arsenic location is much interest astir threats amid nan warfare successful Iran.

Barksdale is nan 2nd largest airfield successful nan U.S. Air Force and has a fleet of much than 40 B-52 bombers. It has a organization of astir 15,000, including progressive work members, reservists, subject families and civilian employees.

According to a confidential briefing document, obtained by ABC News, aggregate waves of 12 to 15 drones were detected successful “sensitive areas.”

“Between March 9-15, 2026, BAFB Security Forces observed aggregate waves of 12-15 drones operating complete delicate areas of nan installation, including nan formation line, pinch craft displaying non-commercial awesome characteristics, long-range power links and guidance to jamming,” nan archive said, according to ABC News.

“After reaching aggregate points crossed nan installation, nan drones dispersed crossed delicate locations connected nan base,” nan archive said.

The confidential archive said that drone incursions astatine nan guidelines “pose a important threat to nationalist information and nationalist information since they require nan formation statement to beryllium unopen down while besides putting parented aircrafts already inflight successful nan area astatine risk.”

A shelter-in-place bid was issued connected March 9 and lifted later that day, but nan drone flights went connected for astir a week, according to nan outlet. It was unclear whether location had been immoderate activity since.

The drone flights reportedly lasted astir 4 hours each time wrong nan restricted airspace.

Capt. Hunter Rininger of nan 2nd Bomb Wing confirmed nan incident successful a connection and said nan Air Force was monitoring nan airspace.

“Barksdale Air Force Base detected aggregate unauthorized drones operating successful our airspace during nan week of March 9th,” Rininger said. “Flying a drone complete a subject installation is not only a information issue, it is simply a criminal discourtesy nether national law.”

“We are moving intimately pinch national and section rule enforcement agencies to analyse these incursions,” nan connection added.

Experts speculated that nan scare was much than “just your mean drone enthusiast.”

The drones appeared to beryllium civilization built and required “advanced knowledge” of awesome operations, according to ABC News.

“It looked for illustration this was deliberate and intentional to spot conscionable really they would react,” said Mick Mulroy, a erstwhile lawman adjunct caput of defense.

The incident follows different caller sighting of “unidentified” drones seen hovering complete nan Washington D.C. subject guidelines wherever Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth live.

The subject is intimately monitoring imaginable threats to elder authorities figures amid nan Trump administration's warfare connected Iran, but according to a Washington Post report, nan root of nan drones that person breached nan airspace supra Fort Lesley J. McNair remains a mystery.

The newspaper said to 3 group briefed connected nan matter, who, connected information of anonymity, said aggregate sightings occurred connected a azygous nighttime wrong nan past 10 days, prompting an contiguous information reappraisal and a White House gathering connected really to respond.