In summary
- Since November, New Jersey has recorded sightings of up to 180 mysterious drones in one night, flying over military bases and suburban areas.
- Although there was speculation about an alleged Iranian “mothership” launching drones, the Pentagon categorically denied the theory.
- Experts and officials appear baffled, while the US Northern Command monitors the situation, ready to act if necessary.
The search for unidentified flying objects took a new turn in recent weeks when mysterious drones were spotted flying over cities and military bases in the United States and Europe. The US Department of Defense has responded to concerns from citizens and lawmakers, aiming to assure the public that the drones are not the work of a foreign adversary.
Since mid-November, New Jersey has experienced a series of mysterious drone sightings, with reports indicating up to 180 drones observed in a single night. These drones, described as larger and noisier than typical hobbyist models, have been spotted over military installations, power lines and suburban areas in several counties, including Morris, Hunterdon and Ocean.
Governor Phil Murphy has acknowledged the sophistication of these drones, noting that “the moment you set your eyes on them, they turn off.” Despite the concerns, he assured the public that there is no known threat to safety.
The drone sightings come at a time when dialogue about UFOs is at an all-time high, with US officials holding multiple hearings on unidentified anomalous phenomena.
“At this time, we have no evidence that these activities come from a foreign entity or are the work of an adversary,” Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Wednesday. “We’re going to continue to monitor what’s happening. But, you know, at no time were our facilities threatened when this activity was occurring.”
Singh’s comments come after U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a member of the House Transportation and Justice Committee, suggested Wednesday that drones could be launching from a mothership in the Atlantic Ocean, reportedly sent to the region by Iran.
“Iran launched a mothership probably a month ago that contains these drones,” Drew told Fox News, citing very senior, very qualified, very responsible sources. “It’s off the east coast of the United States of America.”
“Whether it was some crazy amateur that we can’t imagine, or whether it’s Iran, and I think it quite possibly could be. They should be taken down,” Rep. Drew added. “We are not receiving all the information, and the military is on alert with this.”
Although Representative Drew stands by his claims about the origins of the drones, Singh and US military officials have unequivocally dismissed the notion of a supposed mothership.
“There is no truth in that,” Singh said emphatically. “There are no Iranian ships off the coast of the United States, and there is no alleged mothership launching drones toward the United States.”
Earlier this month, the Florham Park Police Department in Morris County, New Jersey, acknowledged the sighting in a Facebook post. In the post, the FPPD said they are working with State and Federal officials to locate the origins of the drones.
UFO experts like Mitch Horowitz, author and host of the HBO Max series “Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction,” are also skeptical about claims of the Iranian “mothership” or other exotic military technology, saying that most observers Intellectually serious people are “completely baffled” about the nature of these phenomena.
“It’s very speculative. I think we’re using the term drones because it’s reassuring to use a familiar term; it stands to reason that if we put a familiar name on strange phenomena, it’s reassuring in a way,” Horowitz told Decrypt. “I have not met anyone of any quality of intellect who professes any degree of confidence in what is happening.”
Horowitz also rejected the notion that the drones could be Iranian. However, he said this was the first time he had seen this level of sighting of unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs, equating it to a liminal moment in human history.
“I have never experienced such a massive sighting on the news, where every responsible person lacks an explanation,” he said. “The only people who seem confident are the ones who seem to have the most extremist ideas, whether it’s an ultra-skeptic who embraces knee-jerk denial, or someone who looks at UFOs with almost some kind of religiosity, but certainty seems to exist only in the more extreme margins”.
The drone sightings appear to align with key military sites, including Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, which is a major research facility, and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, near Ocean County, a key defense center.
Despite growing concern about UAPs in US airspace, US Northern Command, charged with monitoring the area, said it has not received any requests to take action against drones flying over New Jersey, but is aware of and monitoring reports of unauthorized drone flights.
“US Northern Command conducted a deliberate analysis of the events in consultation with other military organizations and interagency partners, and at this time, we have not been asked to assist with these events,” a US Northern Command spokesperson said. .US to Decrypt.
The Command further noted that reports place the drones in close proximity to military installations in New Jersey, including Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle.
Although he has not received an order to act, the spokesperson said that the US Northern Command is ready to respond if the situation warrants it.
“USNORTHCOM, together with our interagency partners, will continue to evaluate additional information and is prepared to respond when requested or if the situation escalates to threaten any DoD installation,” the spokesperson said.
Edited by Andrew Hayward.
Generally Intelligent Newsletter
A weekly AI journey narrated by Gen, a generative AI model.
For the Latest Crypto News, Follow ©KeynoteUSA on Twitter Or Google News.
