U.S. Army Deploys High-Energy Laser to Down Three Drones Near Texas Border
The U.S. Army used a 20-kilowatt laser system to destroy three unmanned aircraft over the Rio Grande Valley, saying they threatened troops and border agents.
During the night of August 25 into early August 26, the Joint Task Force Southern Border, under U.S. Northern Command, activated a high-energy laser to eliminate three drones operating near the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The Army’s AMP-HEL program supplied the 20-kilowatt Locust Laser Weapon System, a vehicle-mounted device from AeroVironment that uses sensors and a focused light beam to locate and damage aerial targets.
Military officials said the unmanned aircraft presented a physical threat to service members and Customs and Border Patrol partners. The precise location of the engagement and the drones’ provenance were not disclosed, though the task force commander suggested a connection to drug-cartel networks that use drones for smuggling and surveillance. He also noted cooperation with the Mexican Army in addressing the border threat. This marks one of the first operational uses of directed-energy weapons in a real-world border-security scenario.
Why it matters
It shows how advanced laser weapons are being applied to counter illegal drone activity at the U.S.-Mexico border.
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