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A U.S. Air Force Base that houses B-52 bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons detected “multiple unauthorized drones” in its vicinity earlier this month, a base official confirmed to Fox News Digital.
“Barksdale Air Force Base detected multiple unauthorized drones operating in our airspace during the week of March 9th,” a Barksdale AFB spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Friday.
The spokesperson added: “Flying a drone over a military installation is not only a safety issue, it is a criminal offense under federal law.”
Base officials are working closely with federal and local law enforcement agencies to investigate the drone sightings, the spokesperson said.
A U.S. Air Force Base that houses B-52 bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons detected “multiple unauthorized drones” in its vicinity earlier this month, a base official confirmed to Fox News Digital. (Mario Villafuerte/Getty Images)
“The security of our installation and the safety of our people are top priorities, and we will continue to vigilantly monitor our airspace,” the official added.
Barksdale is east of Shreveport in Louisiana and encompasses 22,000 acres with a population of around 15,000.
The drone detections come amid heightened security at Air Force bases in the U.S. as the war in Iran continues.
A shelter-in-place order was issued on March 9 at the base that was lifted shortly after, but the drone sights continued through the week.
US Air Force B-52H long range strategic bombers sit on the tarmac at Barksdale Air Force Base in 2007. (Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images)
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Mick Mulroy, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, told ABC News it didn’t look like an average drone enthusiast.
Bombs wait to be loaded on to a B-52H long range bomber at Barksdale Air Force Base in 2007. (Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images)
“It looked like this was deliberate and intentional to see just how they would react,” he said. “Seeing this probe on a base in the United States is very troubling.”