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U.S. Military Mistakenly Shoots Down Border Patrol Drone with Laser System
In an embarrassing case of friendly fire, the U.S. military used a laser weapon Thursday to destroy a drone near the U.S.-Mexico border that turned out to belong to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The incident occurred near Fort Hancock, approximately 50 miles southeast of El Paso, Texas.
Following the mishap, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) closed additional airspace around the area. Military protocol requires formal notification to the FAA whenever counter-drone action is taken within U.S. airspace.
This marks the second time in just two weeks that laser anti-drone systems have been deployed in the region. In the previous incident near Fort Bliss, CBP operated the system but did not strike anything. That earlier deployment prompted the FAA to shut down El Paso International Airport and surrounding airspace, causing flight cancellations and disrupting travel for the city’s nearly 700,000 residents. The latest closure was more limited and did not affect commercial air traffic.
The incident drew sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, including Washington Representative Rick Larsen and other senior members of House transportation and homeland security committees.
“Our heads are exploding over the news,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement. They blamed the Trump administration for “sidestepping” bipartisan legislation designed to train drone operators and improve communication among federal agencies, including the Pentagon, FAA, and Department of Homeland Security.
In response, the FAA, CBP, and Pentagon released a joint statement Thursday evening acknowledging that the military had “employed counter-unmanned aircraft system authorities to mitigate a seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace.” They emphasized the incident occurred far from populated areas and commercial flights as part of broader border security measures.
“At President Trump’s direction, the Department of War, FAA, and Customs and Border Patrol are working together in an unprecedented fashion to mitigate drone threats by Mexican cartels and foreign terrorist organizations at the U.S.-Mexico border,” the statement read.
The interagency confusion has prompted calls for investigation. Illinois Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, ranking member on the Senate’s Aviation Subcommittee, demanded an independent probe into the matter. “The Trump administration’s incompetence continues to cause chaos in our skies,” Duckworth said.
The mishap raises concerns about interagency coordination, particularly following last year’s midair collision near Washington, D.C., between an airliner and Army helicopter that killed 67 people. The National Transportation Safety Board investigation into that accident highlighted serious gaps in information sharing between the FAA and Pentagon regarding flight safety risks around Reagan National Airport.
The incidents occur against a backdrop of increasing drone activity along the southern border. Cartels routinely use unmanned aircraft to deliver drugs and conduct surveillance of Border Patrol operations. Officials informed Congress last summer that more than 27,000 drones were detected within 1,600 feet of the southern border during the last six months of 2024 alone.
Responding to these growing concerns, Congress recently expanded authority to counter rogue drones to more law enforcement agencies, including some state and local departments, provided they receive proper training. Previously, only select federal agencies possessed this capability.
The U.S. government has allocated over $250 million to help states prepare drone defense systems ahead of major upcoming events, including World Cup matches and America’s 250th birthday celebrations. An additional $250 million in grants will be awarded later this year to further strengthen the nation’s anti-drone capabilities.
The threat from unauthorized drones extends beyond border security to aviation safety. Homeland Security estimates there are more than 1.7 million registered drones currently flying in U.S. airspace, with near-misses around airports steadily increasing.
Anti-drone technologies vary from radio jamming systems to high-powered microwaves and laser beams like those deployed in Texas. Other countermeasures include interceptor drones designed to ram threatening aircraft. While bullet-based systems exist, they remain more common in combat zones than in domestic applications.
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8 Comments
Seems like a concerning incident, with the military mistakenly targeting a CBP drone. I hope they can review their protocols and improve coordination to avoid such mix-ups in the future.
Definitely – clear communication and proper notification processes are critical when using advanced military tech near civilian airspace.
Interesting to see the military using laser weapons to take down drones. I’d be curious to know more about the capabilities and limitations of these systems, and how they compare to other counter-drone technologies.
Yes, the development of these laser-based anti-drone systems is an important area to watch, especially as they get deployed more widely.
This sounds like an unfortunate mix-up between military and border protection operations. I wonder if there are any lessons that can be learned to improve coordination and communication in these kinds of situations.
Definitely an important issue to get right, given the sensitive nature of border security and the use of advanced technology like lasers.
It’s good to see the lawmakers calling for accountability and improvements after this incident. Maintaining proper safeguards and oversight around the use of military tech like this is really important.
This raises some interesting questions about the use of lasers and other emerging counter-drone technologies, and how they can be safely and effectively deployed along the border. Glad to see the FAA getting involved to help manage the airspace.