US EditionUS Military’s Urgent Push for Laser Weapons Behind El Paso Airport Shutdown
The Federal Aviation Administration closed El Paso airspace for hours after CBP deployed a 20-kilowatt anti-drone laser near Fort Bliss without FAA coordination.
- On Wednesday, El Paso airspace was closed after Customs and Border Protection used an anti-drone laser, triggering an hours-long FAA restriction that was reversed eight hours later.
- Customs and Border Protection, citing suspected cartel drones, used Pentagon-provided systems near Fort Bliss without FAA coordination, causing airspace closure.
- Reporters say CBP fired on what turned out to be a party balloon, with sources saying one balloon was shot down, and Reuters identified the system as AeroVironment's 20-kilowatt LOCUST.
- On Thursday, lawmakers demanded answers as disruptions affected commercial airlines and emergency medical transports after the El Paso airspace closure, with Sen. Maria Cantwell warning, `We can get into this kind of conflict where the FAA is saying that we're going to shut down airspace for 10 days, and another agency is saying something different.`
- FAA concerns that the weapon could down civilian aircraft have prompted safety questions, while the National Security Council was briefed on pre-test talks amid strained interagency coordination.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Mexican officials feared El Paso airspace closure signaled U.S. incursion into Mexico
Coming weeks after airspace was closed over Venezuela before the overthrow of Nicolás Maduro, the shutdown of airspace over El Paso alarmed Mexican officials, who thought it might presage U.S. military activity in Mexico.
US military’s urgent push for laser weapons behind El Paso airport shutdown
The Defense Department has been aggressively pursuing laser weapons and defense systems, a push that gained significant attention this week when the use of an anti-drone laser system led to the temporary shutdown of airspace over El Paso, Texas.
The debacle at El Paso airport this week is a sign that U.S. anti-drone technology, and the ability to implement it, is still at an early stage, despite billions of dollars invested in recent years This week, an attempt by the Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) to use a laser to eliminate a foreign object in the sky unleashed chaos. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), concerned about the lack of information about the possible risk…
The Trump administration has only said that it has intercepted drones linked to Mexican cartels. However, sources say a new anti-drone weapon has been deployed, and it could actually be a balloon.
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