May 11, 2024
Written By [Christopher Sharp](https://www.liberationtimes.com/?author=610434e320e3e945538177b1)
Written by [Christopher Sharp](https://twitter.com/ChrisUKSharp) \- 11 May 2024
The U.S. government’s Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) office, known as the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), has informed Liberation Times that it has received no information or reports regarding apparent [drone incursions over Langley Air Force Base in December 2023](https://www.twz.com/air/mysterious-drones-swarmed-langley-afb-for-weeks) .
One witness, who provided testimony to the FBI and captured the objects on film, reported sightings of orb and saucer-shaped objects circling and hovering above and near the base on 14 December. As of now, the United States Air Force (USAF) has not disclosed how these objects were classified as ‘uncrewed aerial systems’ (UAS), their origin, or the identity of those controlling them.
An AARO spokesperson told Liberation Times, ‘AARO has not yet received a report or any information on this incident.’
Although the USAF would not be expected to report identified objects to the AARO, it is unknown how they were identified as drones.
Furthermore, other reported UAS incidents have been reported to the AARO, such as the [drone swarms over U.S. naval assets in 2019](https://www.liberationtimes.com/home/case-not-closed-dod-to-review-2019-west-coast-ufos-which-harassed-us-warships), which were classified as UAS at the time, despite never being positively confirmed as such.
According to one intelligence source who spoke to Liberation Times, the USAF might have chosen not to share information with the AARO due to a perceived lack of trust in its efforts and genuine intent in solving cases in good faith.
The Navy is understood to be taking a similar stance towards the AARO. Following a recent Congressional meeting with the AARO’s acting director Timothy Phillips, Representative Eric Burlison [told reporter Matt Laslo](https://www.askapol.com/p/rep-burlison-we-still-have-dark-programs):
“When \[Rep. Tim\] Burchett asked about some of the data, they said that they had not received data from the Navy. That’s pretty alarming.”
Jonathan Butner, a witness to the purported drone swarm over Langley Air Force Base in December 2023, shared his account of the incident with Liberation Times.
On the evening of December 14th, Butner, [who has also told his story to journalist Ross Coulthart](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX2RH-LPNf4), was stargazing on the west bank of the James River in eastern Virginia.
At around 7.15 pm while casting his gaze eastward across the river toward the Virginia Peninsula, where Langley Air Force Base is located, he noticed peculiar orb-shaped objects in the sky:
“It started when I saw a blinking red and orange light. And then another one came in behind them before more followed. I then began to see four or five orbs in a row.
>
“In total, I saw forty orb-shaped objects which were car-sized and travelling at around the same height as a Cessna would fly. I did not see wings or rotors.
>
“They were blinking this reddish-orange colour. They weren’t like little small drones that you can pull up from a backpack. These were large orbs.”
Butner told Liberation Times that the objects were reminiscent of what has been dubbed ‘ [the San Diego Sphere](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXiKaxEgSvo)’.
The San Diego Sphere \| Full Resolution 12-Minute Tape – YouTube
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[The San Diego Sphere \| Full Resolution 12-Minute Tape](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXiKaxEgSvo) [It’s \[redacted\].](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwaWO9y9NZ7_UYhhoNPwqTw)
It’s \[redacted\].39.5K subscribers
Butner added:
“They all followed the same path. The only thing that would change is when they got over Langley. Some of them would stop and hover at differing altitudes, whereas others would slowly travel over.
>
“I didn’t notice any commercial or military aircraft in the area. Usually, there are quite a few commercial and military aircraft associated with the base and the nearby Williamsburg Airport.”
The objects, according to Butner, provoked a reaction from the base:
“I started seeing these giant searchlights coming up from the ground from the base and waving back and forth at the objects.”
Butner told Liberation Times that the orbs were followed by a larger saucer-shaped object, flying closer to the ground and in closer proximity to his location circling between the peninsular and western bank of the river:
“Then I saw a larger object, coming south from the James River. Instead of going to the east and north of Langley, it would come up right past Newport News, and towards Fort Eustis before then circling by Surry Nuclear Power Plant. It was saucer-shaped.
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“It had a semi-circular orange glowing bottom and on the top had three glowing lights, which kind of looked like windows. On the edge of the craft, there was a white light that would blink very rapidly and erratically.
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“The object was lower than the orbs – not much higher than the tree line and I could see it very clearly. Whenever I see a Black Hawk helicopter I can hear something, but with this craft I heard nothing.
>
“It seemed like this object was observing the orbs, which were circling over Langley.”
Langley AFB UAS December 2023 Video One – YouTube
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[Langley AFB UAS December 2023 Video One](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlMMU5jeqXA) [Liberation Times](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbUqReXN092xDMfCukxzbUA)
Liberation Times532 subscribers
In this video, filmed by Jonathan Butner, he describes two orbs pulsing at different rates and speeds over Langley Air Force Base.
Langley AFB UAS December 2023 Video Two – YouTube
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[Langley AFB UAS December 2023 Video Two](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak1sifvX_Mo) [Liberation Times](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbUqReXN092xDMfCukxzbUA)
Liberation Times532 subscribers
In this second video, Butner describes seeing several orbs, either hovering over or moving slowly past Langley.
Langley AFB UAS December 2023 Video Three – YouTube
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[Langley AFB UAS December 2023 Video Three](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlQcrtzRprk) [Liberation Times](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbUqReXN092xDMfCukxzbUA)
Liberation Times532 subscribers
According to Butner, this third video shows a ‘saucer’ object descending and moving along the far shore of the James River.
Langley AFB UAS December 2023 Video Four – YouTube
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[Langley AFB UAS December 2023 Video Four](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72E4XxGwNGY) [Liberation Times](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbUqReXN092xDMfCukxzbUA)
Liberation Times532 subscribers
According to Butner, the fourth video shows the saucer object travelling along the bank of the James River, close to Fort Eustis.
Butner witnessed the objects for two hours flying around the base.
While none of the videos provided by Butner to Liberation Times clearly depict the shapes of the objects he describes, Butner explained that he could distinctly see their shapes in person. However, he noted that they appeared fuzzy when viewed through a camera.
Credit: Brett Salonia – Map showing routes taken by the objects Butner witnessed on 14 December 2023
A spokesperson from Langley confirmed the incidents to Liberation Times, echoing a message provided
*[Read full article at Liberation Times]*