A drone sighting that temporarily raised alarms at one of the United States Air Force\u2019s largest and most strategic airfields earlier this month was more extensive, and potentially more dangerous, than first reported, according to a confidential internal briefing document reviewed by ABC News.<\/p>\n
Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana said it was under a shelter-in-place order March 9 after \u201ca report of an unmanned aerial system operating over the installation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The sighting raised concerns because Barksdale houses long-range B-52 bombers and plays a critical role in command and control of the Air Force nuclear defense capabilities.<\/p>\n
The shelter-in-place order was lifted later that day but the unauthorized drone flights continued for nearly a week.<\/p>\n
\u201cBarksdale Air Force Base detected multiple unauthorized drones operating in our airspace during the week of March 9th,\u201d Capt. Hunter Rininger of the 2nd Bomb Wing said in a statement provided to ABC News. The additional drone incursions had not been previously reported.<\/p>\n
According to the confidential briefing document dated March 15, the drones came in waves and entered and exited the base in a way that may suggest attempts to \u201cavoid the operator(s) being located.\u201d Lights on the drones suggested the operators \u201cmay be testing security responses\u201d at the base.<\/p>\n
\u201cBetween March 9-15, 2026, BAFB Security Forces observed multiple waves of 12-15 drones operating over sensitive areas of the installation, including the flight line, with aircraft displaying non-commercial signal characteristics, long-range control links and resistance to jamming,\u201d the document said. \u201cAfter reaching multiple points across the installation, the drones dispersed across sensitive locations on the base.\u201d<\/p>\n
The flights lasted around four hours each day and the drones used varied routes of ingress and deliberate maneuvering within restricted airspace.<\/p>\n
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<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>FAIRFORD, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: A cargo plane comes into land with two US Air Force B-1 bombers in the foreground at RAF Fairford on March 11, 2026 in Fairford, England. Since UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer allowed the US to use British bases to launch defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites, a variety of US military aircraft including B52 bombers, and B-1 bombers, have arrived at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Christopher Furlong\/Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cCertainly, it seemed to be more than just your average drone enthusiast who just pushed it too far,\u201d said ABC News contributor Mick Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense. \u201cIt looked like this was deliberate and intentional to see just how they would react.\u201d<\/p>\n The briefing includes a determination that the drones were different than what the typical consumer could purchase off the shelf. They appeared to be custom built and required \u201cadvanced knowledge\u201d of signal operations.<\/p>\n The analysts said \u201cwith high confidence\u201d they expected unauthorized drones to continue to operate in and around Barksdale Air Force Base in the immediate future.<\/p>\n \u201cThe drone incursions at BAFB pose a significant threat to public safety and national security since they require the flight line to be shut down while also putting manned aircrafts already inflight in the area at risk,\u201d the document said.<\/p>\n The FAA referred ABC News to the military for comment. The Louisiana State Police, which is also assisting the investigation, declined to comment.<\/p>\n \u201cFlying a drone over a military installation is not only a safety issue, it is a criminal offense under federal law. We are working closely with federal and local law enforcement agencies to investigate these incursions. The security of our installation and the safety of our people are top priorities, and we will continue to vigilantly monitor our airspace,\u201d Capt. Rininger\u2019s statement said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n