FACTS
The military has deployed short-range air defense systems and counter-drone equipment around President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach and at Donald J. Trump International Airport, about three miles west, at the request of the Secret Service.
NORAD and U.S. Northern Command confirmed they placed "ground-based air defense assets and Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System capabilities in and around Mar-a-Lago," declining further detail for operational security. Photos reviewed by The War Zone show Humvee-mounted Avenger systems, which fire Stinger missiles, on a floating platform in Lake Worth Lagoon and on the beach, with at least two more at the airport. The War Zone reports they went up about two weeks before its Oct. 30 report.
The commands also sent counter-drone "Fly-Away Kits": rapidly deployable packages with infrared cameras, radar and radio-frequency sensors to spot and track drones, which can include electronic warfare gear to jam them.
"The U.S. Secret Service is operating in a heightened threat environment," an agency spokesperson said. Officials have not named a specific threat, how long the deployment will last or the rules of engagement. CBS12 crews also saw a new radar or sensor vehicle being set up near the estate last week.
The drone worry is not new. The FAA has proposed a permanent one-nautical-mile restricted flight zone around the area, up to 2,000 feet, after Secret Service Director Sean Curran cited "persistent risks posed by unauthorized aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems." Public comment closed Oct. 2; the final rule is still pending. A standing temporary flight restriction already runs through Oct. 2027.
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