Is New Jersey Drone Incident A Wake-Up Call To Modernize Procurement Process?
Dear Friends & Neighbors,
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Since mid-November 2024, numerous reports have emerged of large, mysterious drones—some described as the size of SUVs—hovering over various locations in New Jersey, including sensitive areas like the Picatinny Arsenal military base and President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf course. These sightings have raised concerns among residents and officials, prompting investigations by federal and state authorities. (New York Post)
In response to these incidents, the FBI’s Newark office, New Jersey State Police, and the state’s Office of Homeland Security have initiated investigations to determine the origin and purpose of these drones. They have urged the public to report any sightings or information by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting tips online.(NBC New York)
The situation has also attracted attention at the federal level. During a recent congressional hearing, Representative Jeff Van Drew suggested that the drones might be launched from an Iranian “mothership” off the U.S. East Coast, based on intelligence sources. However, the Pentagon has refuted these claims, stating there is no evidence of any Iranian ship or mothership launching drones toward the United States.(Reuters )
Despite ongoing investigations, the origin and purpose of these drones remain unknown. Authorities continue to monitor the situation, emphasizing that there is no known threat to public safety at this time. Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any further sightings to assist in the investigation.
The decision not to shoot down mysterious drones in New Jersey involves a combination of legal, practical, and strategic considerations. Here’s why:
1. Legal Restrictions
- Federal Regulations: Under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, it is illegal for civilians or local law enforcement to interfere with or shoot down drones, even if they are unauthorized. This rule protects airspace safety and ensures actions comply with federal laws.
- Authorization Requirements: Only specific federal agencies, such as the Department of Defense (DoD) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), have the authority to take direct action against drones, and only under certain conditions.
- Potential Collateral Damage: Shooting down drones, especially over populated areas, poses risks to public safety from falling debris.
2. Identifying Threat Levels
- No Immediate Threat: If the drones do not pose an imminent threat to public safety, property, or national security, officials may decide not to escalate the situation.
- Surveillance and Evidence Gathering: Authorities may prioritize monitoring and tracking the drones to determine their origin and purpose instead of destroying them prematurely.
3. Technical and Tactical Challenges
- Drone Size and Altitude: Some of these drones have been described as the size of SUVs, potentially flying at altitudes that make shooting them down difficult without advanced equipment.
- Risk of Misidentification: Without clear identification of the drone’s origin, there is a risk of mistakenly targeting drones that might belong to hobbyists, commercial operators, or legitimate entities.
4. Avoiding Escalation
- Diplomatic Considerations: If the drones are suspected to be foreign, shooting them down could escalate international tensions without clear evidence of malicious intent.
- Public Perception: Engaging drones with military force in domestic airspace could raise public concern or panic.
5. Investigation Priorities
- Coordinated Response: Authorities may aim for a coordinated response involving intelligence gathering and strategic countermeasures rather than immediate destruction.
- Signal Interception: Efforts may focus on identifying the control signals or hacking the drones to safely bring them down for investigation.
In summary, the choice to monitor rather than shoot down these drones reflects a calculated approach to balancing safety, legal constraints, and strategic goals while investigating their origin and intent.
Description of the video below, in italics, below:
New Jersey residents looking skyward have been left baffled by dozens of drone sightings since last month. On Wednesday, Homeland Security officials and New Jersey State Police met state lawmakers to discuss the issue. Tom Hanson has more, in the video published on Dec 11, 2024, by CBS Evening News, as “Mysterious wave of New Jersey drone ightings prompt concern“, below:
Description of the video below, in italics, below:
As “mystery drone” videos continue to go viral online, frustration over the unidentified drones is increasing. NBC News’ Gadi Schwartz looks into the mystery and speaks to Mine Hill Township Mayor Sam Morris about the objects that are taking over the New Jersey sky, in the video published on Dec 10, 2024, by NBC News, as “Frustration grows as FBI Investigates unidentified drones in New Jersey“, below:
Description of the video below, in italics, below:
Swarms of large drones, some described as big as cars, are flying over neighborhoods in New Jersey and New York. One even flew over a meeting of Pentagon leaders in California. NBC News’ George Solis has the latest, in the video published on Dec 7, 2024, by NBC News, as “Large mystery drones flying over neighborhoods in New York and New Jersey“, below:
Description of the video below, in italics, below:
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called for mysterious drones spotted flying at night over sensitive areas in New Jersey and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic region to be “shot down, if necessary,” even as it remains unclear who owns the unmanned aircraft, in the video published on Dec 13, 2024, by Associated Press, as “Drones in New Jersey should be ‘shot down, if necessary,’ Blumenthal says“, below:
Description of the video below, in italics, below:
New Jersey lawmakers joined in many residents’ frustrations over dozens of reports of drones being flown near sensitive sites like a military research facility in recent weeks. The mysterious reported sightings of drone clusters in the night skies over New Jersey and other parts of the US north-east has prompted frustrated outbursts from Congress members, triggering calls for a limited state of emergency to be declared over the region. Jon Bramnick, a Republican state senator in New Jersey, has demanded a ban on all drones until the mystery is solved. ABC’s Action News reported that he called for a “limited state of emergency … until the public receives an explanation regarding these multiple sightings”. Concern about unexplained drone sightings began in mid-November as isolated postings by local residents on social media. The issue has steadily risen up the political food chain, bursting this week on to the stage of state and federal authorities. On Wednesday, the governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, held a briefing call with the US homeland security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, as well as representatives in Congress and state police to discuss the drone reports. He emphasized there was “no known threat to the public at this time”, in the video published on Dec 11, 2024, by CNBC-TV18, as “LIVE: House Hearing on Mysterious New Jersey Drone Sightings Call for ‘State of Emergency’|N18G“, below:
There are three comments I’d like to make after viewing the House Hearing regarding these drones at New Jersey:
- If massive number of drones had shown up in Florida, some of them would had already been shot down by Floridians.
- Please contact FBI via: https://www.fbi.gov/ or submit a tip to FBI via: https://tips.fbi.gov/home if you see any uninvited drone(s) in your area
- Current procurement procedures would create challenges for military R&D projects for modern technologies such as drone technology, with reasons provided below:
The House hearing on the mysterious drones in New Jersey highlights concerns about the rapid evolution of drone technology and whether current procurement procedures for military research and development (R&D) are adequately responsive to such emerging threats. Here’s a breakdown:
Challenges with Current Procurement Procedures
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Lengthy Approval Cycles
- Military R&D projects often undergo extensive bureaucratic approval processes, involving budget proposals, congressional reviews, and contracting phases.
- This timeline can span years, delaying the deployment of cutting-edge technologies while adversaries or private entities innovate more rapidly.
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Complex Requirements
- Procurement processes prioritize thorough vetting and multi-layered evaluations to ensure reliability and accountability. While necessary, this approach can slow response times to immediate threats like advanced drones.
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Budget Constraints
- Military R&D must compete with other national priorities for funding, which can delay or limit the scope of innovation.
- Modern adversaries, including non-state actors, are often less constrained by such financial or procedural hurdles.
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Lack of Flexibility
- Current procurement models are less agile in adapting to rapidly changing technology landscapes.
- Emerging drone technologies, which often integrate commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components, evolve faster than traditional military systems.
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Cyber and Counter-Drone Gaps
- Counter-drone systems require sophisticated solutions involving artificial intelligence (AI), electronic warfare (EW), and cybersecurity. The slow pace of procurement can leave gaps in defense capabilities.
Steps to Improve Effectiveness
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Streamlined Procurement
- Accelerated procurement pathways, such as “Other Transaction Authority” (OTA), can help bypass traditional red tape for high-priority projects.
- Initiatives like the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs aim to integrate cutting-edge civilian technologies more quickly.
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Increased R&D Funding
- Allocating more funds to drone-related R&D could help the U.S. maintain its technological edge over adversaries.
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Public-Private Partnerships
- Collaborations with private sector innovators, particularly in the tech and drone industries, can speed up the adoption of advanced technologies.
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Real-Time Threat Assessments
- Establishing rapid response teams to address specific threats like New Jersey’s drones could bridge the gap between detection and action.
Key Implications of the Hearing
The hearing likely underscores that while the U.S. military has world-class R&D capabilities, its procurement process may be too slow to keep pace with the exponential growth of commercial and adversarial drone technology. Policymakers could push for reforms to streamline procedures, increase funding, and prioritize flexibility in addressing rapidly evolving technological threats.
The New Jersey drone incidents may act as a wake-up call to modernize these processes, ensuring they align with the speed and complexity of contemporary security challenges.
Gathered, written, and posted by Windermere Sun-Susan Sun Nunamaker More about the community at www.WindermereSun.com
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