Unidentified drone incursions have repeatedly penetrated restricted military airspace over critical U.S. defense installations, forcing defensive operational adjustments.

In December 2023, Langley Air Force Base in Virginia experienced 17 consecutive nights of unauthorized drone incursions. These low-observable, highly coordinated swarms—consisting of up to 40 aircraft flying directly over installations housing advanced F-22 Raptor stealth fighters—baffled military personnel and forced the tactical relocation of advanced fighter squadrons. Former defense official Christopher Mellon confirmed that these incursions are part of a broader, systemic vulnerability where unidentified platforms deliberately probe sensitive military boundaries, blurring the line between foreign surveillance and anomalous phenomena.