An anti-US rally outside Incirlik AB, Turkey, that drew hundreds of protesters Thursday did not disrupt anti-ISIS operations, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said Friday. An anti-US mood has been growing in Turkey based on suspected US involvement in the attempted coup there, according to Reuters. The pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper reported the hundreds of Turkish protesters chanted anti-US slogans and burned a US flag, but held a peaceful demonstration. During a press briefing Friday afternoon, Cook said he would not discuss specific security measures, but noted the base has been at an elevated force protection level for some time. “We’ll continue to take every step we need to to make sure our personnel and other coalition personnel are as safe as possible,” he said. Power was cut off from the base after the coup attempt, but airmen were able to use backup generators to launch and recover aircraft until outside power was restored on July 22.
Pentagon officials overseeing homeland counter-drone strategy told lawmakers that even with preliminary moves to bolster U.S. base defenses, the military still lacks the capability to comprehensively identify, track, and engage hostile drones like those that breached the airspace of Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for 17 days in December…