While the military is not releasing much in the way of details the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, General John E. Hyten told Congress that ‘unauthorized intrusions’ were carried out by drone aircraft over Air Force and Navy nuclear facilities.
Watch: Trained eagle snatches a drone in mid flight
“Of recent concern have been the unauthorized flights of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) over Navy and Air Force installations,” Gen. Hyten said. “These intrusions represent a growing threat to the safety and security of nuclear weapons and personnel.”
Currently, the Navy and Air Force are planning to deploy counter-unmanned aerial system defenses that Gen. Hyten said will “effectively detect, track and, if necessary, engage small UAS vehicles.”
“We are continually assessing threats to ensure our security apparatus is capable of denying unauthorized access or use of nuclear weapons,” he said. – The Washington Times
General John Hyten isn’t saying exactly what measures are being taken to counter unmanned drones but interestingly a company from the Netherlands is training eagles to deal with the issue. Guard From Above, based in the Hague is working with police departments to keep drones from causing damage by having eagles literally attack the drone while it is airborne.
How ironic! A possible low tech solution to a high tech problem.
Featured image of bird attacking a drone by AFP