U.S. Military Downs Border Drone

The friendly fire incident occurred near Fort Hancock, Texas, where the military employed a laser-based anti-drone system to down the CBP aircraft. A joint statement from the Pentagon, FAA, and CBP explained the drone was targeted because it was perceived as a "seemingly threatening" system operating within military airspace. This was the second time in two weeks that anti-drone laser systems prompted airspace closures in the area. An earlier incident near Fort Bliss involved CBP deploying a laser, which led to a temporary shutdown of air traffic at El Paso International Airport; the target was later reported to be party balloons. Key Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson, and André Carson, expressed outrage over the lack of coordination. In a joint statement, they said, "Our heads are exploding over the news," blaming the incident on the administration "sidestepping" a bipartisan bill intended to improve training and communication between the Pentagon, DHS, and the FAA. Customs and Border Protection operates a diverse fleet of drones, from large, long-endurance Predator B aircraft to smaller, hand-launched systems. These drones are used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to monitor for the movement of people and illicit goods across the border. The use of high-energy laser systems is partly a response to incursions by drones operated by drug cartels for surveillance and smuggling activities along the U.S.-Mexico border. Following the shootdown, the Federal Aviation Administration expanded existing flight restrictions around Fort Hancock for "special security reasons." Unlike the previous incident in El Paso, the expanded closure did not affect commercial flights.