Military Shoots Down Drone after the Pentagon reportedly used a high-energy laser system near Fort Hancock, Texas, triggering emergency FAA airspace restrictions along the southern border.
FORT HANCOCK, TEXAS — The U.S. military reportedly blasted a U.S. government drone out of the sky using a high-energy laser system near the Texas-Mexico border — and now the Federal Aviation Administration has shut down the surrounding airspace.
According to congressional sources, the Pentagon allegedly used a laser-based counter-drone weapon to take down a drone operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection near Fort Hancock — an area known for cartel drone activity along the southern border.
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Shortly after the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration issued emergency flight restrictions, citing “special security reasons” and expanding a no-fly zone around the region. The restriction does not impact commercial airlines due to the remote location but bars most other aircraft until June 24. Air ambulances and rescue flights can still operate with approval.
WHAT WENT WRONG?
Congressional aides told reporters the Pentagon deployed a high-energy laser anti-drone system — technology designed to neutralize hostile drones, including those reportedly used by Mexican drug cartels.
But the drone reportedly shot down belonged to the U.S. government.
Top Democratic lawmakers — including Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson, and André Carson — blasted the situation in a joint statement, accusing federal agencies of poor coordination.
They claim they previously warned about gaps in counter-drone training and oversight, saying the administration’s decision to bypass bipartisan proposals created confusion.
“Now we’re seeing the result of incompetence,” the lawmakers reportedly stated.
Sources say the laser system was recently deployed domestically and had already been used to allegedly take down four suspected cartel drones in the region. However, aides claim the FAA had not cleared the system for safe use near civilian airspace.
Earlier this month, the FAA temporarily halted flights at the airport in nearby El Paso — only to reverse the order hours later after internal negotiations.
Fort Hancock sits roughly 50 miles from El Paso.
Reports suggest tensions flared between the Pentagon and aviation officials over whether the laser could legally be deployed without FAA approval. Both agencies reportedly believed they had authority to move forward.
Nobody was fully on the same page.
