Lasers on the Fence Line: Pentagon Deploys Directed-Energy Counter-Drone Systems at Five U.S. Bases
AI Analysis
The Pentagon is deploying directed-energy counter-drone systems (high-energy laser & high-powered microwave) to five U.S. bases – Fort Bliss, Fort Huachuca, Naval Base Kitsap, Grand Forks AFB, and Whiteman AFB – by the end of 2026. This move represents a shift towards permanent, integrated base defense against increasing drone incursions. Drone sightings near military installations have increased 82% between September 2024 and September 2025, with a significant portion occurring along the southern border.
Key Takeaways
- JIATF-401 is leading the deployment of directed-energy systems.
- 420 drone sightings were reported near U.S. military installations between September 2024 and September 2025, up from 230 the previous year.
- The southern border is a major area of concern, with 34,000 drones tracked in 2025, often operated by cartels for surveillance and potential payload delivery.
- Fort Bliss is already functioning as a counter-UAS test site due to its proximity to the border.
- The Pentagon spent over $20 million on counter-drone capabilities along the southern border by early 2026.
Why It Matters
The increasing frequency and sophistication of drone incursions pose a credible threat to U.S. military assets and personnel. This deployment signals a proactive approach to base defense, moving beyond reactive measures to establish persistent, integrated counter-UAS capabilities. Successful implementation of these systems could serve as a model for wider deployment across other critical infrastructure.
Lasers on the Fence Line: Pentagon Deploys Directed-Energy Counter-Drone Systems at Five U.S. Bases
The Pentagon has taken one of its most concrete steps yet in the race to harden American military installations against the growing threat of unauthorized and adversarial drones, selecting five bases across the country to receive high-energy laser and high-powered microwave counter-drone systems before the end of 2026. The announcement, made on May 6 by the Army-led Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401), marks a pivotal shift in how the U.S. military is approaching domestic base defense — moving away from reactive, fly-in response kits and toward permanent, integrated, directed-energy shields protecting some of the nation's most strategically sensitive real estate.
The five installations selected are Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Huachuca, Arizona; Naval Base Kitsap, Washington; Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. Each was chosen to test directed-energy counter-drone capabilities across a diverse range of military missions and operating environments, from southern border security to nuclear deterrence infrastructure. Base commanders and the Department will finalize operational details over the next 180 days, with systems expected to be online by year's end.
The Threat That Made This Necessary
To understand the urgency behind this program, consider what has been happening over American military bases in recent years — and how rapidly the problem has escalated.
Between September 2023 and September 2024, there were 230 drone incursions reported over military installations. Over roughly the same period the following year, that number jumped by 82 percent to approximately 420 sightings — and those are only the incidents that were detected and reported. A January 2026 Pentagon Inspector General report warned that inconsistent counter-drone policies were leaving some U.S. installations vulnerable to unauthorized UAV activity, with gaps in both detection coverage and legal authorities hampering an effective response.
The southern border has become a particular flashpoint. In 2025, U.S. forces tracked 34,000 drones along the southern border — a significant increase over the previous year — with cartel-operated UAVs conducting surveillance of law enforcement positions, probing base perimeters, and in some cases deploying explosive payloads. By early 2026, JIATF-401 had deployed 13 advanced sensors and seven mitigation systems across key border sectors, spending more than $20 million on counter-drone capabilities in the region alone. Fort Bliss, one of the five selected bases, sits adjacent to a National Defense Area that extends to the southwest border for the purpose of denying illegal activity in the region, making it already something of a live counter-UAS laboratory.
Unauthorized drone incursions over sensitive military facilities have not been limited to the border. Barksdale Air Force Base —