New surface-to-air missile systems have been deployed in Palm Beach as part of expanded security around President Donald Trump, with air defense equipment visible near Donald J. Trump International Airport and Mar-a-Lago. The North American Aerospace Defense Command said the deployment was made at the request of the U.S. Secret Service.
NORAD declined to share specific operational details, citing security concerns. The military has not said whether a specific threat prompted the move, and it has not disclosed how long the systems will stay in place.
WPTV spoke with aviation experts Dewitt Ingram and Matthew “Whiz” Buckley, a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot. Ingram described three trailer-mounted systems that can target aircraft, drones and vehicles. Buckley said he counted what appeared to be Avenger batteries firing Stinger missiles, with four on each side, for a total of eight, and possibly .50-caliber machine guns.
The deployment follows other airspace activity around Palm Beach when the president is in the area. NORAD ran a planned air defense exercise over Palm Beach on Oct. 14 using F-16 fighters and Civil Air Patrol aircraft. On Oct. 24, an F-16 intercepted an aircraft that violated temporary flight restrictions near the city.
Buckley has warned that drone swarms are a serious threat to airliners, and he said the type of defense matters less than having one ready to respond.
