US Military Laser Weapon Shoots Down Cartel Drones

US forces employed a laser weapon at the southern border to neutralize drone threats from drug cartels, showcasing advanced counter-drone capabilities.

US forces stationed at the southern border successfully shot down three cartel-linked drones using a laser weapon this week, according to a statement from the military on Thursday.

Drug cartels have increasingly deployed uncrewed aerial systems to support their operations. In response, US troops have utilized a variety of counter-drone weapons, notably directed-energy systems like lasers, to neutralize these threats.

This week’s engagement commenced late Tuesday and carried on into Wednesday. Personnel from the Joint Task Force – Southern Border employed the Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser system to dispatch the drones, which were classified as hostile due to their support of activities threatening US military personnel and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) partners.

The Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser is a mobile system mounted on a vehicle and was developed by AeroVironment. Prototype models were provided to the US Army last fall as a part of a larger initiative to explore both kinetic and non-kinetic methods of countering drones and aerial threats.

Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, the commander of the task force, emphasized the growing use of unmanned aerial systems by cartel networks to aid illicit human-smuggling operations and to surveil US personnel and law enforcement partners. He stated, “By integrating layered countermeasures alongside advanced directed-energy capabilities like this laser system, we have made it clear that we will not tolerate hostile surveillance.”

The southern border has increasingly become a hotspot for drone activity. Earlier in the year, Gen. Gregory Guillot, head of NORTHCOM, mentioned that drug cartels frequently utilized drones to fly over US troops. This led to US forces treating that region as a “literal and figurative sandbox” for testing numerous counter-drone systems.

Many of these countermeasures are emerging technologies, enabling the military and industry to determine which systems are most effective against authentic drone threats.

Laser weapons are viewed as a more sustainable and potentially more efficient option for destroying small drones compared to conventional interceptors. However, they raise concerns about the power generation required and their integration within the broader defense network.

The Joint Interagency Task Force 401, focused on counter-drone initiatives, has also performed tests in the area, including algorithms for a long-range autonomous platform named SkyValor, which has the capacity to detect, track, identify, and neutralize drones using non-kinetic methods.

No comments are available at this time, but the situation continues to evolve.