Pentagon raises alarm over drone attack risks
The Ukrainian operation “Spiderweb” demonstrated the vulnerability of large airbases to drone attacks, prompting the Pentagon to reassess the protection of key facilities.
This is reported in a Pentagon Inspector General report, according to Defense News.
In June 2025, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck four Russian airfields, destroying over 40 strategic bombers worth $7 billion — roughly a third of the Russian fleet. The drones were launched from trucks directly on enemy territory, bypassing radars and air defenses.
The Inspector General’s report dated January 20, 2026, highlighted critical bureaucratic gaps in defense against unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The document, Management Advisory: Immediate Attention Required to Protect DoD Covered Assets Against Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), analyzes 10 sites where drone intrusions were recorded.
Many bases are not listed as “covered assets,” which prevents the use of counter-drone systems.
Luke Air Force Base in Arizona serves as a key example of the danger. Seventy-five percent of the world’s F-35 pilots train there, yet the base is not classified as a facility requiring mandatory UAS protection. Officers cannot activate countermeasures because training activities do not fall under the nine critical categories defined by Section 130i of the law.
Recall, The Wall Street Journal published new details about the SBU “Spiderweb” operation. During the operation, at least one A-50 aircraft was also destroyed.
