In recent days, pictures have spread on the social media platform called X showing one of the jewels of the US Navy, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, docked in a Japanese port. But the biggest flaw of the video is that it was filmed by someone without permission, so it highlights a very serious security vulnerability: anyone can easily get close to ships stationed at Yokosuka Naval Base, and can also access the base unhindered. With a simple civilian drone. The Western Allies were very lucky that this unauthorized intrusion was committed by a private citizen, so no serious problems occurred.
Japan had previously banned civilian drone flights near protected and critical military installations, but this did not appear to have had the desired effect. The incident angered the public, as they feared that warships would be easily vulnerable due to weak air defences. Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said in a press conference that the footage was likely authentic and that the defense forces were serious about addressing security concerns. In practical terms, this means that military bases are equipped with anti-drone equipment as quickly as possible.
Tokyo and Washington strengthened their relationship in April 2024, paying special attention to the military field.
One of the points of agreement between the two powers was that the island nation's ports could in the future receive American warships to carry out simple work.
Cover image source: Getty Images
