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Temporary Airspace Restriction Imposed

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has enacted a temporary closure of airspace over Fort Hancock, Texas, due to reports that a military laser anti-drone system may have unintentionally downed a U.S. government drone. A Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) released by the FAA indicated that this restriction was implemented for 'special security reasons' and took effect at 6:30 PM local time on Thursday. The airspace limitation, which encompasses an area near the Mexican border east of El Paso, is set to remain in effect until June 24.

According to congressional aides, the incident involved a counter-drone system believed to be borrowed from the Pentagon. The drone that was reportedly shot down was operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), although neither the FAA nor the Pentagon has confirmed these details as of yet.

Concerns Raised by Lawmakers Lawmakers Cite Coordination Concerns

Three Democratic representatives—Rick Larsen, André Carson, and Bennie Thompson—issued a joint statement expressing their concern regarding the reported use of the anti-drone laser system. These lawmakers are members of committees that oversee transportation and homeland security. 'Our heads are exploding over the news,' they stated, referring to reports that the Department of Defense allegedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a high-risk counter-drone system. They further criticized the apparent lack of coordination among the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the FAA, arguing that previous warnings about operator training and inter-agency communication had not been sufficiently addressed.

Previous Incidents with Laser Technology Previous Laser-Related Disruption

The closure at Fort Hancock follows a similar incident earlier this month at El Paso International Airport, where the FAA temporarily halted air traffic for ten days before quickly reversing the decision. Reports indicated that CBP agents had utilized a Pentagon-loaned laser anti-drone system to neutralize what was later identified as a party balloon. This incident raised questions about the deployment of such systems in civilian airspace. Fort Hancock is located along a sensitive section of the Texas-Mexico border, where drone activity related to smuggling and surveillance has been a continuous issue. The use of directed-energy anti-drone technology in this context poses risks for both aviation safety and border security operations. Currently, federal agencies have not publicly disclosed the exact sequence of events leading to the reported drone strike, and the FAA's airspace restriction remains in place as investigations continue.