Texas airspace closed due to second reported drone laser incident

US Military Deploys Laser to Shoot Down Drone, FAA Closes Airspace Near El Paso

The US military used a laser to shoot down a Customs and Border Protection drone in airspace near El Paso, Texas, according to lawmakers. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) subsequently closed more airspace in the area. It is unclear why the laser was deployed.

The incident occurred near Fort Bliss, approximately 80km northwest of El Paso, prompting the FAA to shut down air traffic at El Paso airport and surrounding areas. This time, the closure was smaller and commercial flights were not affected.

Lawmakers have expressed surprise and criticism over the deployment, stating that they were informed of the incident through official notification. They criticized the Trump administration for not implementing a bipartisan bill aimed at training drone operators and improving communication among agencies.

The Pentagon, FAA, and Customs and Border Protection issued a statement explaining that the military used a “counter-unmanned aircraft system” to mitigate a perceived threat in military airspace. The agencies stated that they will continue to work on increased cooperation and communication to prevent similar incidents in the future.

This incident follows a previous closure of airspace near El Paso two weeks ago, which lasted only a few hours but raised concerns among lawmakers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy plans to brief Congress about the incident this week.

Senator Tammy Duckworth has called for an independent investigation into the matter, citing concerns over government dysfunction and coordination between agencies.

Source: Al Jazeera