I live just east of the 177th Fighter Wing

[PCIntern]

Of the NJ National Guard

(Snip): The 177th Fighter Wing is located at Atlantic City International Airport, in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. The 177th has been at this location since 1958. Our mission aircraft is the single seat F-16C Fighting Falcon. Since October 1998, the 177th has had an active involvement in Operation's Noble Eagle, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

(These jets were scrambled toward NYC on 9/11)

To say that activity has increased dramatically May be the understatement of the year. I have periodically inhabited this domicile since 1979 and am a permanent resident since Covid began. I have never ever seen and heard this much F-16 activity. I just witnessed jets screaming over my house, a somewhat atypical flight path, headed out over the Atlantic.

It has been continuous like this for days now. I work approximately four miles from the facility and I have full view of approaching aircraft. I cannot begin to tell you how busy it has been lately and because I know what someone will opine, I know the difference visually among the fighter and transport aircraft versus the Spirit Airlines and other commercial jets landing at the adjacent Atlantic City airport. These ain’t them.

Just sayin’…

[House of Roberts]

1. Could they be training Ukrainian pilots and flight crews?

Since the F-16s are the planes Ukraine is getting, wouldn't this base be ideal for adding to their skills?

[Irish_Dem]

7. House this is an excellent guess. There is a flight school at the 177 Wing.

That would account for the high traffic, in and out all day long.
It also means they are hauling ass before Jan 20.

[wnylib]

9. And the drones might be part of the training?

We know that Ukraine makes good use of drones.

Or perhaps the drones are for surveillance to protect the training exercises and equipment from sabotage by Russians or American traitors.

[Irish_Dem]

10. Ding ding ding. We have a winner.

Makes perfect sense for all the reasons you state.

And also explains why the public cannot be told the reasons for the drones being there.
All classified information.

[wnylib]

12. Would not have occurred to me if you had not mentioned

that there are training sites there. When I read that, the pieces started falling together.

OK, now what other national problem can we solve?

[Irish_Dem]

13. Yes my dear Watson, other mysteries await.

It would not have occurred to me if House had not mentioned flight training, which of course fits perfectly
with the very high activity of take offs and landings all day long during peacetime.

And 177Wing is supposed to have a flight school there at Egg Harbor.

Yes puzzle pieces only fit one way, and it appears we have a puzzle piece that fits all the data perfectly.
We could be wrong of course, but it is some good work here.

So if we can figure it out, I suppose the Russians did too.

[wnylib]

17. Russians have spies, just as we do.

If we are correct about the training and its purpose, we can assume that Russia knew about the training and its location before it began.

[Irish_Dem]

18. Yes.

At least we may have caught up to speed with the Russian spy network.

[wnylib]

20. Russia has an inside line on US intel via Putin's

traitorous American friends.

[Irish_Dem]

21. Yes. Yes the PutinGOP has aligned w/ Russia and the other fascist countries.

I am sure whatever the US knows, so does Putin.

[AntiFascist]

15. I don't doubt that this could be a reason for the drones...

but why would the drones first be spotted in Morris County, which is pretty far from the airport where the base is located? Military jets are pretty loud and I don't believe there were reports of fighter jets.

[wnylib]

19. Doesn't Ukraine use drones in its war with Russia?

The practice of maneuvering large drones could send them quite some distance to get familiar with their range and maneuverability at distances.

The OP mentions hearing large numbers of fighter jets flying in their vicinity.

Sounds like practice for something, especially considering that there is a training center in the area and that President Biden has recently released two large sums of money to Ukraine and has approved the use by Ukraine of American equipment inside Russia.

[AntiFascist]

22. Like I said, I don't doubt that this could be an explanation for the origin of the drones...

but sending them some distance (in the vicinity of Bedminster) to hover for long periods of time doesn't sound like they are only training for use in Ukraine.

[AntiFascist]

23. Also you should watch Rep. Mikie Sherrill on Alex Wagner tonight...

she is concerned about drone events in her district, particularly sightings near a military base, and doesn't think the Federal agencies have locked down all the information about specific sightings. Progress has been made in that NJ and NY now are setting up their own radar systems for tracking drones.

[usonian]

2. There is absolutely nothing to worry about until .....

You get a patient like this one

[erronis]

6. You're going to make him give up his drill!

Good one!

[Hermit-The-Prog]

11. That is an efficient design for consuming mass quantities.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Well, something's going on. Obviously, we aren't privy to it . . . yet.

Please keep us in the loop if you find anything out.

[quakerboy]

4. It was noted on some local forums that our local military aircraft

Will be doing "night flight practice" for the next while. West coast.

[marybourg]

5. I live under the flight paths at Luke AFB, a

major F16 training facility.Traffic normal for end of year when procrastinating pilots have to finally get their hours in.

[Irish_Dem]

8. You don't get your hours in, you lose your flight pay.

[paleotn]

14. As mentioned above, it may be Ukrainian pilot training.

Work trip to Tucson earlier this year, same thing.

[snot]

16. I also live near an airforce base and have also noticed increased traffic.

I wish we could return to the days when war was conducted based on a declaration passed by Congress.