US border task force uses AV laser to down

The Pentagon's southern border task force shot down three hostile drones using a directed-energy system from AeroVironment. The engagement occurred under the authority of US Northern Command and in support of US Customs and Border Protection.

According to a release from the Joint Task Force - Southern Border posted on Thursday night, task force personnel used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser system to engage and defeat three hostile unmanned aircraft systems. The release stated the drones posed a physical threat to US military personnel and US Customs and Border Patrol members.

System and Mission Details

A spokesperson from AeroVironment told Breaking Defense that the task force used one of the company's non-kinetic counter drone systems. This system is the product of the Army's Multipurpose High Energy Laser program.

The original JTF-SB statement referenced a counter-UAS system delivered to the Army in December. This matches the timeframe of an AeroVironment press release stating the company delivered its prototype 20kW-class LOCUST system. The task force's release did not disclose if the laser system was mounted on a vehicle.

Major General Curtis Taylor, commander of JTF-SB, linked the drone threat directly to cartel activity. Cartel networks are increasingly employing unmanned aircraft systems to facilitate illicit human-smuggling and actively spy on our personnel and law enforcement partners, he said in the release.

Border as a Testing Ground

The Pentagon has turned the southern border into a sandbox to test new counter-drone capabilities. This testing occurs in collaboration with the Army-led Joint Interagency Taskforce 401.

Through this initiative, JIATF 401 has invited industry partners to the border to demonstrate their technology. The goal is to find cost-effective ways to take down adversary drones while minimizing the threat of collateral damage to nearby civilians.

The operation follows an increased military role in defending against drone threats on the southern border. This increased involvement has not been without controversy, sparked by previous failures to coordinate with civilian agencies. The JTF-SB release did not disclose the exact location of the drone engagements or who was suspected of flying them. It suggested the drones could have been used for reconnaissance by a drug cartel.

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, Major General Taylor stated. An AeroVironment spokesperson did not specify which particular system was used and did not respond to a request for clarification by press time. A spokesperson for the task force also did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.