Drone flights over sub bases could be 'threat to national security' Navy warns

The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Kentucky transits the Hood Canal as the boat returns to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor on April 11, 2016. The Navy on Friday, April 29, urged residents to report any sightings of drones flying in or around the base.

Sightings of unauthorized drones flying over Naval Base Kitsap have prompted a request from the Navy to local residents to say something if they see something flying over the base.

“Unauthorized drone flights pose a potential threat to national security,” said Rear Adm. Jeff Ruth, commander of Navy Region Northwest, in a Friday news release.

The Navy asks any resident who sees a drone flying over the base to report it to the regional dispatch center at 360-396-4444.

Be ready to provide the following details: Location, including the direction the drone is flying, and where it came from, including landmarks or street intersections. Note the date and time of the sighting, and the approximate size and color of the drone; number of propellers and color of lights. If possible, take a photo or video.

Reports should be made as soon after sightings as possible.

A Navy employee on Feb. 8 spotted a drone flying in prohibited airspace over the base, which is home to eight Trident nuclear-armed submarines.

The sightings come as the U.S. military is scrambling to improve defenses against the rapidly evolving capabilities of remote-controlled drones.

With drones increasingly available and affordable, hobbyists often fly them near airports or other places. There also is concern within the military that drones could be used as tools for espionage or hostile actions.

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