August 20, 2020
By: Staff Report
LAKELAND, Fla. – A French-made air-to-air missile was discovered at Lakeland Linder International Airport on Friday in Lakeland.
“This weekend we received a call that a contractor at Lakeland Linder Airport had discovered a guided missile. Our 6th EOD team helped secure it with the help of ATF, the Lakeland Fire Department, and our 6th LRS team who provided a flatbed semi for transportation,” said a release from MacDill Air Force Base.
The Matra 530 missile delivered in a shipment to Draken International.
Draken officials tell Military Times that “in the process of evaluating shipments to Draken International’s Lakeland facility” its team “discovered an object with questionable markings indicating it may be explosive.”
“Our EOD team went out and secured the missile,” Air Force 1st Lt. Brandon Hanner, a spokesman for the 6th Air Refueling Wing, told Military Times. “It was live, but unarmed.”
It is currently sitting in a munition storage facility on base awaiting proper disposal.
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