The Pentagon used a laser to shoot down what it thought was a ’seemingly threatening’ drone operating near the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) agreed to conduct an anti-drone “high-energy laser test” in New Mexico over the weekend.
The announcement comes a little more than a week after the FAA had to suddenly close airspace around Fort Hancock, Texas, due to what the agency at the time called “special security reasons.”
The Department of War (DOW) shot what it thought was a “seemingly threatening” drone flying within military airspace, the Pentagon, FAA, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a joint statement at the time.
A House committee said the FAA’s closure resulted from the Pentagon using a “high risk counter-unmanned aircraft system” to shoot down a CBP drone operating near the U.S.-Mexico border.
The incident, along with another Pentagon drone incursion the same month, faced criticism in Congress. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), the ranking member on the Senate’s Aviation Subcommittee, called for an independent investigation into the incidents.
Following congressional pushback, the Pentagon is now conducting anti-drone tests at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico alongside its partners at the FAA.
On March 6, the U.S. military said its Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and the FAA will conduct a “high-energy laser test” Saturday through Sunday.
“This upcoming event will specifically address FAA safety concerns while gathering data about the laser’s material effects on aircraft surrogates, validating the functionality of automated safety shut-off systems, and informing analyses for aircrew eye safety,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
The military stated that the test is part of a “long-term, multi-year partnership” between it and the FAA to ensure that counter-drone technology is “safely integrated into the national airspace.” It’s a continuation of previous military testing done over the past few decades, the Pentagon said.
The interagency effort will include representatives from the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security, CBP, and the New Mexico National Guard attending the test in New Mexico this weekend.
The Pentagon said the test underscores a federal effort to combat drone threats while maintaining sovereignty and safety in the national airspace.
“This is a critical step in making sure our warfighters have the most advanced tools to defend the homeland,” U.S. Army Brigadier General Matt Ross said in a statement.
“By working hand-in-hand with the FAA and our interagency partners, we are ensuring that these cutting-edge capabilities are safe, effective, and ready to protect Americans from emerging drone threats.”
By Jacob Burg
