Alarming Number of ‘Unauthorized Drones’ Spotted Over US Air Base

(Staff Sgt. Corey Hook/U.S. Air Force via AP)

A concerning amount of unidentified drones were reportedly spotted over a U.S. Air Force base earlier this month, leaving more questions than answers amid the ongoing war with Iran.

Service members at the Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, were given a shelter-in-place order on March 9 after the unmanned aircraft was spotted in the sky. The order was lifted later in the day.

But according to a confidential internal briefing viewed by ABC News, the drone sightings continued for the rest of the week at the base, which is home to dozens of B-52 Stratofortress bombers.

“Between 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,” the document read. “After reaching multiple points across the installation, the drones dispersed across sensitive locations on the base.”

It’s not the only concerning drone report to emerge this week.

Several drones of unknown origin were spotted over Fort Lesley J. McNair, which houses Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday night, leading officials to consider moving the Trump Cabinet secretaries for their own safety.

Hegseth and Rubio were ultimately not moved from Fort McNair, which is located about four miles away from the White House, according to the report.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!