Several unauthorized drones were detected near a U.S. Air Force Base (AFB) in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, earlier this month, resulting in a brief shelter-in-place order.
The news comes after the U.S. military launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran to prevent its Islamic regime from using nuclear weapons, which has heightened security at Air Force bases across America, Fox News reported Friday.
A Barksdale AFB spokesperson told the outlet, “Barksdale Air Force Base detected multiple unauthorized drones operating in our airspace during the week of March 9th,” also noting, “Flying a drone over a military installation is not only a safety issue, it is a criminal offense under federal law.”
Authorities are investigating the sightings, the spokesperson said, adding, “The security of our installation and the safety of our people are top priorities, and we will continue to vigilantly monitor our airspace.”
The Air Force base covers 22,000 acres with a population of approximately 15,000 and houses B-52 bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons, the Fox article stated.
A confidential briefing document said the drones came in waves and entered and exited in a manner that suggested their operator was trying to avoid being located, ABC 13 reported Friday:
“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 said. “After reaching multiple points across the installation, the drones dispersed across sensitive locations on the base.”
The flights lasted around four hours each day and the drones used varied routes of ingress and deliberate maneuvering within restricted airspace.
ABC News contributor Mick Mulroy, who is a former deputy assistant secretary of defense, said the incidents appeared to be more than just an average drone enthusiast.
“It looked like this was deliberate and intentional to see just how they would react,” he commented.
However, there has so far been no verification that the incident was related to the conflict with Iran, WRBL reported Friday.
The WRBL article also said prior to the incidents, Barksdale “issued a public notice online reminding the general public that Barksdale is a no-drone zone.”
Meanwhile, “Iran attempted to strike Diego Garcia, the Indian Ocean island base critically enabling U.S. strikes, with a pair of ballistic missiles,” Breitbart News reported Saturday.
