Drone activity along the U.S. southern border has dropped by roughly 75 percent in the Rio Grande Valley less than two weeks after the military began using a high-energy laser weapon system. The new system provides military units with the capability to permanently disable suspicious drones, a shift in border security tactics.
The laser system made its operational debut Aug. 25 and 26, successfully downing three drones. In the 10 days since, the laser has taken down a total of 11 drones identified as cartel-linked.
Prior to the laser's introduction, the U.S. military relied on jamming tools to force drones back to their origin. While effective temporarily, these methods did not prevent drones from returning. The laser offers the option to bring down a drone if it is deemed a threat, rendering it unusable.
Army Col. Robert Felicio, commander of the 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade deployed to the border, said the laser represents a "significant" change in activity because "it can't be used again against you."
Since the beginning of the year, military officials report stopping 300 drones linked to cartels. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, head of U.S. Northern Command, told lawmakers in 2024 that approximately 1,000 drone incursions occur monthly across the southern border.
Felicio and other military officials acknowledged that other variables, such as cartels finding new routes, could also contribute to the recent drop in drone activity. However, the reduction directly followed the laser's deployment.
The system's development included months of training, with one incident earlier this year briefly shutting down El Paso's airport due to testing. Military officials now coordinate regularly with the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure the laser poses no risk to civilians.
On Friday, soldiers demonstrated the system near the border wall. They used an Xbox controller and a camera feed displayed on an iPad-like device inside a vehicle to track a small quadcopter drone. The laser, a version of the LOCUST system produced by AeroVironment, then struck the target.
The laser beam delivered an almost instantaneous heat pulse, causing a brief flash of light when it hit the drone. The recovered drone showed a damaged propeller and missing battery but remained identifiable. Multiple LOCUST systems are now deployed along the border.
The Army this week awarded its first-ever contract for high-energy lasers. The $465 million contract went to AeroVironment, the manufacturer of the LOCUST system, signaling a long-term strategy to combat aerial surveillance by criminal organizations.
