The US military says it uses a high-energy laser to shoot down drones associated with drug cartels along the US-Mexico border. Multiple outlets report that three such drones are destroyed in a recent week, with officials describing the drones as a “physical threat” to US military and US Customs and Border Protection personnel.
CBS News and other reports add that the laser system is being deployed as part of broader testing and counter-drone operations in the border region, particularly in southern Texas near the Rio Grande Valley. CBS also reports that drone activity probing the border drops by about 75% after the laser weapon begins operating, and that the system has taken down 11 drones in less than two weeks. Other outlets note the military does not always provide precise strike locations or clarify whether shots occur over US or Mexican territory.
Wired describes the system as a directed-energy weapon capable of detecting, tracking, and destroying drones. Overall, the accounts align on the laser’s use and the reported targets, while differing on added operational details such as the number of drones overall, the timing, and the extent of information released about where the incidents occur.
