Pentagon Fires Another Laser at Drone, Prompting New Air Closure
#Pentagon laser #Drone interception #Fort Hancock airspace #Directed energy weapons #DHS drone #FAA airspace closure #Border security #El Paso Texas
📌 Key Takeaways
- Pentagon successfully used high-energy laser to shoot down DHS drone
- FAA temporarily closed airspace above Fort Hancock, Texas as safety measure
- Incident represents continued testing of directed energy weapons technology
- Closure highlights challenges of integrating military tech with civilian airspace
- Pentagon increasingly using lasers as cost-effective drone defense
📖 Full Retelling
Defense Department officials used a high-energy laser to shoot down a Department of Homeland Security drone over a small border town near El Paso, Texas on Thursday, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to temporarily close the airspace above Fort Hancock as a precautionary measure. The incident marks another successful test of directed energy weapons by the Pentagon, following previous demonstrations of this technology against aerial threats. The drone, operated by Customs and Border Protection, was targeted over the sensitive border region where security concerns remain high. According to four individuals familiar with the event who spoke on condition of anonymity, the laser system successfully disabled the drone without causing collateral damage. This latest demonstration comes as the U.S. military continues to invest heavily in directed energy technologies as a cost-effective alternative to traditional missile defense systems. The closure of Fort Hancock's airspace, while brief, highlights the challenges of integrating military technologies with civilian air traffic management systems and underscores the growing importance of counter-drone capabilities as both commercial and recreational drone usage continues to proliferate nationwide.
🏷️ Themes
Military Technology, Border Security, Airspace Management
📚 Related People & Topics
Directed-energy weapon
Type of weapon that fires a concentrated beam of energy at its target
A directed-energy weapon (DEW) is a ranged weapon that damages its target with highly focused energy without a solid projectile, including lasers, microwaves, particle beams, and sound beams. Potential applications of this technology include weapons that target personnel, missiles, vehicles, and opt...
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Original Source
The Defense Department used a high-energy laser to shoot down a drone belonging to the Department of Homeland Security over a small border town near El Paso Thursday, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to shutter the airspace nearby, according to four people familiar with what transpired who were not authorized to discuss it publicly.
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