US military uses a laser to blast a drone out of the sky on the US-Mexico border — the target belonged to Customs and Border Protection in the friendly fire incident

Congress officials just reported that the U.S. military accidentally shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone flying around the U.S.-Mexico border. According to the Associated Press, the incident happened in Fort Hancock, some 50 miles southeast of El Paso International Airport, which was shut down two weeks ago due to the firing of another laser weapon, after it was mistaken for a Mexican cartel drone.

The United States military is required to formally inform the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) whenever it conducts a counter-drone action within U.S. airspace. So, because of this latest occurrence, the agency shut down the airspace over the area, though it’s unknown whether flight schedules were disrupted.

The report, however, reached the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, with ranking committee members Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), Rep. André Carson (D-IN), and Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) releasing a statement calling out the Trump administration.

“Our heads are exploding over the news that DoD reportedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a high-risk counter-unmanned aircraft system,” the trio said in a joint statement. “We said MONTHS ago that the White House’s decision to sidestep a bipartisan tri-committee bill to appropriate train C-UAS operators and address the lack of coordination between the Pentagon, DHS, and the FAA was a short-sighted idea. Now, we’re seeing the result of its incompetence.”

Drone threats have steadily been increasing, especially as the world saw their widespread use during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. China, one of the U.S.’s biggest geopolitical rivals at the moment, even developed an AI drone swarm that allowed one soldier to control 200 units. Because of this, many countries have started developing weapons to counter them, including 100,000-watt lasers, vehicle-mounted and sea-borne laser systems, high-powered microwaves, and even AI-powered counter-drones.

While these weapons are highly effective against UAVs, the agencies implementing them need to develop a proper threat-detection system to avoid friendly fire, such as in this situation. Furthermore, they could damage airliners and other legitimate aircraft operating in the area and even incapacitate their crews.

This aviation-related incident has highlighted the lack of coordination between the U.S. military and civilian agencies. It follows the tragic collision of a U.S. Army helicopter and a passenger airliner on final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport just last year. What is more concerning is that these aviation-related incidents happen despite the strict training that both military and civilian pilots undergo. Adding drones and counter-drone systems into the mix without proper coordination and training will only increase the overall risk to the flying public.

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