USS Paul Hamilton reported encounters with unidentified aerial systems during the July 2019 California Navy encounters.
The USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60) was one of five U.S. Navy destroyers harassed by mysterious drone swarms off the coast of California in July 2019. These incidents, involving unidentified aerial vehicles (UAVs), occurred over several nights, with the ship’s crew reporting drones as close as 200 yards and observing them hovering at altitudes of approximately 100 feet.
Navy investigators determined that a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship, the MV Bass Strait, was likely conducting surveillance on U.S. naval forces using these drones. The MV Bass Strait was seen by the Paul Hamilton crew, and the Navy assessed it was the source of the UAVs, although no definitive attribution was publicly confirmed for all encounters.
Key Details of the Encounters:
Involved Ships: The USS Paul Hamilton was joined by the USS Kidd, USS Rafael Peralta, USS Russell, and USS John Finn in the series of incidents near the Channel Islands.
Drone Behavior: The drones were described as tic-tac-shaped or quadcopter-style, moving at speeds up to 70 mph and exhibiting erratic flight patterns, including hovering and rapid departures.
Navy Response: The Paul Hamilton deployed specialized teams, including the SNOOPIE (Ship Nautical Or Otherwise Photographic Interpretation and Exploitation) team, to investigate and document the UAVs. The ship also activated EMCON (Emission Control) to restrict communications and radar usage during the incidents.
Outcome: While the MV Bass Strait was identified as the primary suspect for surveillance activities, the Navy stated that the drone encounters did not impact the ships’ ability to perform their missions or operate safely. Some later incidents involved drones attributed to local fishermen using personal quadcopters.
| Date: | 2019-07-14 |
| Location: | Pacific Ocean off Southern California |
| Country: | United States |
| Category: | Military |
| Credibility: | High / Officially Documented |