Ex-Navy pilot says he’s ditching commercial contractors, doubts stemming from involvement in NJ drone sightings

Former F-18 US Navy pilot Lt. Ryan Graves said he has ruled out the involvement of commercial contractors in drone sightings reported around New Jersey in recent days.

“Based on my analysis of the situation and the statements made by the Pentagon and the legislative branch, I do not believe that this is our government operating in this mess. God help us if that is the case,” Graves told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum on Thursday. “The issue.”

“It’s the same with commercial contractors,” he continued. “There’s no benefit, all the risk of using these things too close to the ground, especially if it’s some kind of isolated device.”

Graves holds that his analysis leads the mystery to “external opponents or something else.”

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“We heard directly from the Pentagon that there is no so-called ‘mother’ off the coast of Virginia and New Jersey launching these things,” Graves said.

“We have very sophisticated radar systems on the east coast. We have to, with absolute certainty, know exactly where these things are, where they’re going and where they’re sitting if they’re there. So, either these things we have the ability to counter that technology, or we’re just lying about what’s going on.”

Last week, bipartisan leaders in New Jersey spoke of public concern over reports of drone sightings and frustration over the lack of clear answers.

On Monday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy described the drones as “very sneaky” and expressed his frustration at the lack of clarity about their origins.

Attorney Chris Smith, RN.J., shared the “Story” story he spent Monday night on the beach and spoke to the commander of the US Coast Guard who told him about the incident last night when a 47-meter long beach ship. closely followed by more than a dozen drones.

On Wednesday, Sen. Cory Booker, DN.J., sent a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI Director Christopher Wray and FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker urging the agencies to give municipal and state officials a briefing on drone activity. and asked. that any information obtained is shared with the public.

Attorney Jeff Van Drew, RN.J., said “Faulkner FocusOn “Wednesday” “highly competent” and “reliable” sources suspect that the drones seen over the Garden State may be connected to the Iranian “mothers” located along the East Coast – a claim that was rejected by the Pentagon.

State Sen. Jon Bramnick, RN.J., called on the Department of Defense to come to the state to investigate the mysterious drone activity Wednesday afternoon.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed that he was receiving a briefing on Thursday regarding drone sightings in the Garden State.

Graves told McCallum that he is urging the “full power” of the government and the Pentagon to be used to determine the nature of these objects – to identify, target, and, if necessary, designate primary targets to be brought down for further testing.

“It seems that the different branches of government are not communicating well about this problem,” said Graves. “And to me, it makes me believe that there’s a real uncertainty about what’s going on here. I find it hard to believe that the Biden administration would continue with this insane policy on this topic. Hundreds of people are witnessing these events. .”

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Graves added that drone sightings “aren’t just for people on the ground.”

“My nonprofit organization, Americans for Safe Aerospace, has been receiving reports from commercial pilots, military pilots and military veterans for over a year, showing how persistent and problematic this issue is in the aviation industry,” Graves said. “We need to have a better coordinated response and listen to the people on the ground and in the air who see things.”

Fox News Digital’s Taylor Penley and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.