State Representative Brian Bergen, a former Apache helicopter pilot who helped establish the Army’s initial unmanned aircraft training battalion, walked out of Wednesday’s high-level security briefing at New Jersey State Police headquarters, calling it “amateur hour” and “worthless” in addressing the mysterious drone activities that have persisted across the state since mid-November. The dramatic exit highlighted growing frustration among state lawmakers over federal authorities’ handling of the investigation, reports CNN.
‘Complete Lack of Effort’
“It was the biggest amateur hour presentation I’ve ever seen,” Bergen told NewsNation after leaving the briefing. “Every question that was asked by the state legislature – great questions – no answers, no resolution. They don’t know where the drones are coming from, they don’t know who’s doing it, they don’t know why they’re doing it, but they say there’s no credible threat.”
Bergen’s criticism carries particular weight given his extensive military aviation background, which includes not only piloting Apache helicopters but also playing a key role in developing the Army’s unmanned aircraft training programs. His expertise in both manned and unmanned military aviation makes his assessment of the federal response especially damning.
Bergen expressed particular frustration with what he characterized as a lack of initiative in tracking the mysterious aircraft. He described one especially concerning incident where law enforcement abandoned pursuit of a six-foot drone because a helicopter pilot “felt unsafe,” a decision Bergen found incomprehensible given available resources and technology.
Growing Legislative Frustration
The 90-minute session, which included officials from the Department of Homeland Security and FBI, left other lawmakers similarly disappointed. Assemblyman Erik Peterson noted that DHS officials appeared dismissive of some concerns, while Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described sophisticated drones capable of evading traditional detection methods…