Camilla Jessen
A U.S. military operation near the Mexican border has triggered fresh scrutiny in Washington.
The Pentagon used a laser-based anti-drone system to bring down a U.S. Customs and Border Protection drone near Fort Hancock, Texas, according to congressional aides cited by Reuters.
The incident led the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to suspend flights in the area on Thursday, citing “special security reasons.”
Laser system used
According to the Pentagon, the military deployed an “unmanned aerial system… to mitigate the risk posed by an unmanned aerial system that appeared threatening in military airspace,” in a joint statement issued with the FAA and Customs and Border Protection.
Congressional aides told Reuters that the high-energy laser system was used in a region where drones operated by drug cartels have frequently crossed into U.S. airspace.
The FAA expanded existing airspace restrictions near the border “to include a larger area to ensure safety,” but said the measure would not affect commercial airline traffic.
Lawmakers criticise response
House members Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson and Andre Carson, who oversee aviation and homeland security matters, criticised what they described as poor coordination between agencies.
They said they had previously warned about gaps in training and oversight after the White House rejected a bipartisan proposal aimed at improving drone operator training and inter-agency coordination.
“Now we are seeing the results of incompetence,” the lawmakers said in a statement.
Wider safety concerns
Earlier this month, the FAA halted traffic at El Paso International Airport for 10 days before lifting the order roughly eight hours later. Reuters and other media reported that the pause was linked to concerns about testing of the laser anti-drone system.
The FAA later agreed to lift restrictions around El Paso after the Pentagon reportedly postponed further testing pending a federal safety review.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, the ranking member of the aviation subcommittee, called for inspectors general from the Pentagon, FAA and Customs and Border Protection to investigate both the Fort Hancock incident and the earlier El Paso disruption.
“The Trump administration’s incompetence continues to wreak havoc in our skies,” Duckworth said.
The FAA has barred most flights in the Fort Hancock area until June 24, though air ambulances and search and rescue operations may be permitted with authorization from the Joint Southern Border Task Force.
Sources: Reuters, Digi24
