Fairford
UK military to get powers to shoot down drones near bases
British soldiers will be granted new powers to shoot down drones threatening military bases. The plans, to be unveiled by Defence Secretary John Healey in a speech on Monday, are intended to allow troops to take faster, more decisive action. Four British airbases used by US forces reported mystery drone sightings last year, while drones have disrupted airspace across Europe a number of times in recent months. The new powers will only apply to military sites, but could be extended to civilian locations such as airports. Healey is set to announce the introduction of a kinetic option, first reported by the Daily Telegraph, that would enable British troops or Ministry of Defence (MoD) police to shoot drones posing a threat to a military site in the UK.
Authorities stress 'no known threat to public safety' following unusual drones near Trump Bedminster club
Officials are still investigating unusual drone activity that has been reported in recent weeks in New Jersey. The FAA set temporary restrictions above Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster in response. Authorities investigating the unusual drone activity observed several times in northern New Jersey in recent days, including the vicinity of President-elect Trump's Bedminster golf club, continue to stress that there is no threat to public safety. Multiple videos show drones flying in Somerset and Morris counties over the past few weeks, including Dec. 1 and Dec. 3. In a video from Nov. 25, a Morris County resident named Mike Walsh spotted drones flying over Black River Middle School in Chester.
Air Force four-star general: We need 225 bombers
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Stealth Bomber comes in to land at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire on September 11th, 2019 - Close up underneath photos of the B-2 bombers - the world's most expensive and secretive planes - returning from a training exercise from Iceland. Senior Air Force leaders believe that current shortages in the U.S. bomber fleet are putting the service, and the nation, at tremendous risk of enemy attack. The U.S. Air Force needs as many as 225 bomber aircraft to meet current and future threats presented by rivals such as Russia and China, according to Gen. Timothy Ray, Commander of Global Strike Command and Strategic Command. Speaking at the 2019 Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference, Ray said the Air Force bomber inventory needs to jump from roughly 156 up to more than 220. "The number is North of 225. The B-1s and B-2 are older airplanes," Ray said at the conference.