Whoops: US military laser strike takes down CBP drone near Mexican border

Source: Ars Technica

Incident overview

The U.S. military mistakenly shot down a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) drone near the Mexican border using a laser‑based anti‑drone system. CBP employs drones to monitor people crossing the border — see the agency’s drone program.

Congressional aides told Reuters that the Pentagon used a high‑energy laser to down the CBP drone in an area that often sees incursions from Mexican drones linked to drug cartels. Reuters reported the incident last night.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) closed airspace along the border in Fort Hancock, Texas, on Thursday with a temporary flight restriction notice for special security reasons. The restrictions are in effect until June 24 but could be lifted earlier. Reports differ on the exact date of the strike: The New York Times reported it occurred on Thursday, while Bloomberg noted the FAA was notified on Wednesday after the event.

“The Defense Department didn’t realize the drone was being flown by CBP when it shot it down,” Bloomberg wrote, citing anonymous sources.
“The Department had not first coordinated the use of the laser system with the FAA.”

According to Bloomberg, the military had not been coordinating counter‑drone measures with the FAA, and CBP drone operators did not inform the military’s laser unit that they were launching. Because CBP did not notify the Defense Department, the military treated the aircraft as “an unknown drone,” the Times reported, citing an unnamed Pentagon official.

Two laser strikes in February

The latest incident follows a similar event two weeks earlier, when the FAA abruptly closed airspace over El Paso for several hours, causing flight cancellations. In that February case, CBP itself fired the laser, using the same technology loaned from the military to combat drug‑smuggling. CBP “fired a high‑energy laser at what they thought was a drone,” but it turned out to be a party balloon, according to the Times.

“In both cases, the lasers were used without the FAA’s approval, which many aviation safety experts maintain is a violation of the law,” the Times wrote.

Democratic lawmakers criticized the administration’s handling of the incidents. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D‑IL), ranking member of the Senate Aviation Subcommittee, said, “The Trump administration’s incompetence continues to cause chaos in our skies. The situation is alarming and demands a thorough, independent investigation.”