Latest news with #RonVitiello
NDTV
19-05-2025
- NDTV
Swarm Of Unidentified Objects Seen Near US Military Sites: Report
An unidentified flying object struck a US Air Force F-16 fighter jet during a training mission over Arizona last year, damaging the aircraft and prompting concerns about a surge in mysterious aerial activity near American military sites, the New York Post reported. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) documents, first reported by The War Zone, the incident occurred in January 2023 when an "orange-white" uncrewed aerial system (UAS) collided mid-air with the canopy of a $63 million F-16 Viper, forcing it to be grounded. The term UAS typically refers to drones, though the object remains unidentified. The incident is one of several unexplained aerial encounters reported near US Air Force training zones in Arizona since 2020. A day after the fighter jet incident, three more UAS encounters were flagged in the same region, highlighting the frequency and unusual nature of these sightings. Former Pentagon investigator Luis Elizondo told News Nation that reports of unidentified aerial activity have spiked near Arizona's southern border. "There's been a lot of activity, a lot of people reporting a lot of things," he said. The FAA confirmed that it logs sightings of "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena" (UAP) when pilots report them to air traffic control. If corroborated with radar or other evidence, the data is shared with the US Department of Defence's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office - the agency handling such national security cases. Between May 2023 and June 2024, the office received 757 such reports, with only 49 cases marked "closed" so far. Many of the objects spotted near Arizona's military ranges appear in small swarms, sometimes in groups of eight, flying at high altitudes. Some US officials, including former Customs and Border Protection advisor Ron Vitiello, suspect these could be advanced drones operated by foreign cartels for smuggling or surveillance. "There's a possibility they're using cutting-edge technology we're not familiar with," Vitiello said, noting that cartel-funded drone systems have been used to smuggle drugs weighing up to 10 kilograms across the US-Mexico border. "These groups have the resources to innovate constantly. That's part of their business model," he added. The incidents come amid heightened scrutiny over aerial intrusions, following high-profile events like the Chinese spy balloon sighting in 2023.
New York Post
18-05-2025
- New York Post
UFO striking fighter jet is among swarm of mystery objects spotted near US military sites: reports
A UFO that struck and damaged a US fighter jet is just one of a swarm of mystery objects buzzing around Air Force training ranges in Arizona, according to multiple reports. One of the unidentified flying objects hit the clear bubble 'canopy' over the head of a pilot in a $63 million F-16 Viper jet in January 2023, damaging it and temporarily grounding the plane, according to Federal Aviation Administration documents first reported by The War Zone. Advertisement 3 A pair of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters assigned to the US Air Force's 56th Fighter Wing appear in flight. USAF The military jet was struck mid-air by 'an orange-white UAS,' or 'Uncrewed Aerial System,' the FAA documents said. The term refers to drones. Three more UAS encounters were flagged a day later, the outlet reported. Advertisement 'What I can tell you is that there has been a lot of activity, a lot of people reporting a lot of things out of Arizona, particularly on the border' with Mexico, former Pentagon investigator Luis Elizondo told News Nation this month. The FAA told The Post in a statement that the agency 'documents Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings whenever a pilot reports one to an air traffic control facility. 'If supporting information such as radar data corroborates the report, the FAA shares it with the UAP Task Force. The Department of Defense All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office serves as the centralized clearing house for UAP reporting impacting national security or safety.' 3 A map shows designated restricted airspace (outlined in red) and military operation areas (outlined in purple) used for military training in Arizona and neighboring states. DOD Advertisement The government filed 757 such reports between May 2023 and June 2024 — 708 of which took place in the air — with only 49 marked 'case closed' in the latest report issued by the 'Anomaly Resolution Office.' The small unidentified objects spotted in Arizona are known to fly in groups of up to eight and are sometimes characterized as drones, according to The War Zone, which noted the incidents took place at high altitudes in or near military air combat training sites since January 2020. Drones and other flying objects such as the Chinese spy balloon in 2023 are 'clearly being passed through multiple U.S. military reporting streams,' the outlet added. 3 An F-16 Fighting Falcon, or Viper, lands at Kleine Brogel Air Base EBBL in Belgium. NurPhoto via Getty Images Advertisement Some US officials, including Ron Vitiello, a senior adviser for US Customs and Border Protection, hypothesize that the mysterious flying objects could be drones used by foreign cartels for spying or smuggling drugs. The cartel has used the technology – which is difficult to track – to move up to 10 kilograms of drugs at a time, News Nation reported. Vitiello told 'News Nation Prime' earlier this month that 'unlimited funding' from cartels could explain the impressive 'cutting-edge' technology never seen before. 'Maybe they've got technology that we're not used to seeing in the drone space,' Vitello said. 'That's part of their business model, to always be able to iterate and innovate, so that they can continue to sell their poison into the United States.'
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE use of National Guard would need states' OK: Border official
(NewsNation) — A federal request for 20,000 National Guard troops to help with immigration enforcement would probably need some kind of sign-off from state governments, a Trump administration advisor said Friday. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement, asked the Pentagon for the National Guard's assistance for roundups nationwide, and defense officials are reviewing the request, The Associated Press reported. Governors typically control National Guard units in their respective states, with exceptions, and it's not clear how the DHS request would be executed or whether all governors would be on board. 'Encounters' at southern border continue to drop: Border Patrol 'I think states are going to have to be involved in assigning National Guard,' Ron Vitiello, a senior adviser for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said during an appearance on 'The Hill' on Friday. Vitiello said he hasn't seen details of the request but noted thousands of active-duty troops are already assisting U.S. Border Patrol along the southern border. He said National Guard members likely would be 'more boots on the ground' assisting ICE agents in the interior. 'This is the ICE mission: They're going after the worst of the worst, in every city and town in America,' Vitiello said. 'Having that additional support is going to make a big difference for them.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
