Drones have been spotted flying over the naval base Camp Pendleton in Southern California Last week, according to reports, posed no threat to operations at the facility.
Base spokesman Capt. James C. Sartain told The Warzone that between Dec. 9 and 15, “there were six instances of unmanned aerial systems (UAS)” entering the airspace above Camp Pendleton.
Sartain also said the UAS did not pose any threat to installation operations.
The publication also learned from base personnel that countermeasures to disable the drones were not necessary as air and ground operations were unaffected.
The entrance to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, file)
Camp Pendleton officials did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for confirmation and further details on the matter.
The reports of drones flying over Camp Pendleton come as reports of possible drones being spotted over the military continue to come in installations in New Jerseyincluding the Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township, and Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck.
Drones were also spotted flying near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio this weekend, forcing the base to close its airspace for hours on Saturday.
According to its website, Wright-Patterson is “the headquarters of a comprehensive global logistics system, a world-class laboratory research facility, and the premier acquisition and development center within the United States Air Force.”
The Pentagon doubled down Tuesday, saying the possible drones spotted over New Jersey are not U.S. military assets. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images; Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)
On Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the drones told reporters are not US military assets, adding that the vast majority of unmanned aircraft are likely used by hobbyists for recreational purposes.
“To put this into context a bit… (there are) more than a million drones registered in the United States, and on any given day there are approximately 8,500 drones being, you know, in flight,” Ryder said. “The vast majority of these drones will likely be recreational or hobbyist. They will be commercial drones… you know, used in things like architecture, engineering, agriculture, or they could be used for law enforcement.”
However, Ryder also said bases like Picatinny and Earle are being equipped with equipment to better detect, identify and track objects in their airspace, if necessary. If necessary, he explained, the system could have capabilities that use non-kinetic means to disrupt drones’ signals, affecting their ability to operate.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told C-SPAN on Tuesday that he believes the drones flying over military installations are controlled by the People’s Republic of China.
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Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, speaks during a news conference following a meeting of the House of Representatives Republican Conference on Capitol Hill. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
“We want answers, but the answer I’m getting is we don’t know who the drones belong to,” McCaul said.
The lawmaker said he learned that the drones had been reported over military locations, adding that he would not think these types of drones are friendly, but instead thinks they are hostile.
“We need to identify who is behind these drones,” he said. “My assessment, based on my experience, is that the people above our military sites are hostile and most likely from the People’s Republic of China.”
McCaul further explained that he based his belief that the drones are controlled by Chinese on the fact that China has purchased land near military bases.
On December 8, what appear to be large drones are hovering in the Bay Shore section of Toms River, NJ. (Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., spoke to reporters after the House Intelligence Committee’s classified briefing with the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA about the New Jersey drones.
Houlahan told reporters she was not concerned about any threats and said it was irresponsible for anyone to scare the public about it.
“I think the message for the American people is that many people from many different organizations at the federal level are taking this very, very seriously (and) have not found anything so far that would indicate there is foreign influence. Foreign actors or even little green men who are are working to benefit the American people. And I think it’s really important that people understand that,” the Pennsylvania lawmaker said.
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Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., isn’t concerned about drones. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
She continued, saying more work needs to be done, including legislation that gives officials the authority to respond to drone threats with the right technology.
Houlahan pointed out that more drones will be gracing the skies, and since it’s Christmas, there will likely be more drones under people’s Christmas trees next week.
She emphasized that it is important for the American people to know that “there is no clear threat coming from any quarter.”
But she also wanted to emphasize that the media and officials play an important role when it comes to drones and the message sent to the public.
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“I don’t know exactly why some of my colleagues have decided that this is important to scare the public, but I don’t think that’s a very responsible thing to do,” Houlahan said. “Just like with the media, I don’t think it’s very responsible to scare the public.”
Fox News Digital’s Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
