A comprehensive look at how the situation, which an anonymous U.S. official said appears to be coordinated and not the work of hobbyists, has unfolded so far. Since Nov. 20, 2024, U.S. Air Force bases in the south east of the United Kingdom have been dealing with nighttime incursions of unidentified uncrewed aerial systems (UASs) (colloquially referred to as drones) over and around their airspace.

Small, unmanned craft were seen flying over four bases in England, the U.S. Air Force in Europe said. The Pentagon said that there had not been “any significant mission impact.”

These latest drone sightings come after it was reported in The Wall Street Journal that mysterious drones swarmed the area around Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, in December 2023 for 17 days.