Pentagon's Warning on Drone Risk Over U.S. Military Bases

SOURCE www.foxnews.com
The Pentagon warned about a drone risk over Langley Air Force base in late 2023 due to an oversight in authority to shoot down drones over the U.S. homeland. A bipartisan bill called the COUNTER Act aims to address this, with support from members like Tom Cotton and Kirsten Gillibrand. The bill expands the authority of military bases to engage with drones and delegate authority to combatant commanders in emergency situations.

Key Points

  • Pentagon warns of drone risk over U.S. military bases due to lack of authority to engage with drones.
  • COUNTER Act led by Tom Cotton and Kirsten Gillibrand seeks to address the issue.
  • Bipartisan support and efforts to delegate authority to combatant commanders in emergency situations.

Pros

  • The COUNTER Act aims to rectify the oversight in authority to shoot down drones over U.S. military bases.
  • The bipartisan support for the bill increases its chances of becoming law.
  • Expanding the definition of 'covered facilities' allows more military bases to engage with drones.

Cons

  • The lack of authority to shoot down drones poses a risk to national security and public safety.
  • The incidents at Langley Air Force base highlighted vulnerabilities in drone detection and surveillance.