Pentagon, FAA sign agreement on deploying anti-drone laser system near Mexico
AI Analysis
The Pentagon and FAA have signed an agreement to deploy a high-energy laser counter-drone system along the U.S.-Mexico border after successful safety tests in New Mexico. This system aims to address the increasing drone incursions by Mexican cartels for drug trafficking and surveillance.
Key Takeaways
- Pentagon and FAA agreement on anti-drone laser deployment near Mexico.
- Successful safety tests conducted in New Mexico for the laser system.
- Over 1,000 drone incursions monthly along the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Incident of a government drone being shot down by the laser system.
- FAA temporarily halted flights at El Paso airport due to safety concerns.
Why It Matters
The deployment of the laser system is strategically significant as it enhances U.S. border security by countering the growing threat of drone incursions used for illegal activities. This move reflects the increasing importance of integrating advanced counter-UAS technologies in national defense strategies.
The Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon said on Friday they had signed an agreement allowing the government’s use of a high-energy laser counter-drone system along the southern U.S. border with Mexico.
The agreement came after the FAA conducted testing in New Mexico on the laser system used by the Pentagon and Homeland Security Department and validated that proper safety controls are in place and do not pose undue risks to passenger aircraft.
The U.S. military errantly shot down a government drone with the laser-based system on Feb. 25, leading the FAA to expand an area in which flights are barred around Fort Hancock, Texas.
The incident followed the Feb. 18 decision by the FAA to halt all flights for 10 days at the nearby El Paso airport because of the use of the Pentagon laser system by a Homeland Security agency without completion of an FAA safety review. The El Paso shutdown order was lifted by the FAA after about eight hours following the White House’s intervention.
“Following a thorough, data-informed Safety Risk Assessment, we determined that these systems do not present an increased risk to the flying public,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said on Friday.
The Pentagon has said there are more than 1,000 drone incursions along the U.S.-Mexico border each month. U.S. security officials have increasingly expressed alarm about the use of drones by Mexican cartels to drop drug packages or surveil trafficking routes.
Several media outlets reported last month drones were seen over Fort McNair in Washington where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth live.
There is no indication the Pentagon plans to deploy the laser at the base, which is close to Reagan Washington National Airport.
Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth last month called on federal watchdogs to review the decision-making process leading to the use of the systems and the FAA’s decision to close airspace.