Citing a “heightened” level of threats against President Donald Trump, the U.S. Secret Service prompted the military to install missile defense systems near his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and at the international airport in West Palm Beach.
In recent days, photographs of the anti-missile systems appeared in local media prominently displaying military hardware characterized as the Avenger Air Defense System, which is capable of intercepting various aerial intruders ranging from missiles to drones to high-speed aircraft.
Two systems were planted on a barge in the Lake Worth Lagoon adjacent to a seawall at Mar-a-Lago.
Another occupies space on the south side of President Donald J. Trump International Airport, the designated parking spot for Air Force One during presidential visits.
“The U.S. Secret Service is operating in a heightened threat environment, and we continuously adapt our protective operations to incorporate cutting-edge tools, technology, and methods to safeguard our protectees,” a U.S. Secret Service spokesman said Friday in an emailed statement. “At the request of the U.S. Secret Service, NORAD and U.S. Northern Command are providing Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System capabilities in support of our protective operations.”
The missile systems’ presence was first reported by the Palm Beach Daily News.
Neither NORAD nor the Department of War responded to requests Friday for more information about the system and its non-battlefield uses in the U.S. and abroad.
According to a U.S. Army website, the Avenger Air Defense System “is an American self-propelled surface-to-air missile system which provides mobile, short-range air defense protection for ground units against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters.”
It was originally developed for the U.S. armed forces and is currently used by the Army.
While Trump has been president, NORAD fighter jets have patrolled Palm Beach County airspaces to ensure unauthorized aircraft give wide berth to the President’s estate and the airport during his visits.
Proposed ‘special rules’
In September, the Federal Aviation Administration announced in the Federal Register it was proposing “special air traffic rules” in the airspace in the vicinity of the international airport.
“U.S. Secret Service (USSS) requested FAA restrict aircraft operations in the vicinity of President Trump’s Florida non-Governmental property,” the agency posting says. “To provide adequate safeguards for USSS to secure the non-Governmental property and safeguard USSS protectees in the interest of national security, FAA is proposing to implement Special Air Traffic Rules restricting aircraft from operating in the President Donald J. Trump International Airport Special Flight Rules Area unless certain conditions are met.”
The public comment period ended Oct. 20.
Meanwhile, NORAD continues to regularly patrol the area when the president is in town.
On Oct. 24, NORAD announced F-16 fighters intercepted a general aviation plane that violated the temporary restricted air space of Mar-a-Lago.
“After the fighter jet executed a standard headbutt maneuver to gain the pilot’s attention, the civilian aircraft established communication and safely exited the restricted airspace in full compliance with flight instructions,” the agency said in a statement.
Last year at this time, the FAA imposed a 24-hour, seven-day a week flight restriction around Mar-a-Lago.
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The flight restrictions included a prohibition against aircraft operating within a one nautical mile radius of Mar-a-Lago, whether Trump was visiting or not. Previously, the curbs were in force only during presidential visits.
Other Temporary Flight Restrictions included:
- A 10-nautical-mile radius around DJT International with strict limitations on general aviation and drones.
- From 10 to 30 nautical miles around the airport with additional restrictions and procedural requirements for approved flights.
The Continental U.S. NORAD Region at Tyndall Air Force Base is the operational lead for enforcing the restricted area.
Aircraft owners and operators seeking information about general aviation and temporary flight restrictions may visit norad.mil/General-Aviation/.
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