Pentagon Uses Laser to Shoot Down CBP Drone Near Fort Hancock as FAA Expands Flight Restrictions
The Pentagon used a high‑energy laser to shoot down a Customs and Border Protection drone near Fort Hancock, Texas, saying DoD employed counter‑UAS authorities against a “seemingly threatening” unmanned system in military airspace and that the engagement occurred away from populated areas and commercial aircraft; the FAA expanded a temporary flight restriction around Fort Hancock for “Special Security Reasons” but said commercial flights were not affected. Lawmakers have demanded investigations and were formally notified under counter‑drone reporting rules, with Democrats blasting the action and noting it follows a Feb. 11 laser firing near Fort Bliss that missed its target and prompted an El Paso airspace closure; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy plans to brief Congress.
📌 Key Facts
- The Pentagon used a laser (reported as a high‑energy laser system) to shoot down a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) drone near Fort Hancock, Texas, federal officials confirmed.
- A joint DoD–CBP–FAA statement said the military employed counter‑UAS authorities against a “seemingly threatening” unmanned system operating in military airspace, and that the engagement occurred away from populated areas with no commercial aircraft nearby; the agencies said they are working together against cartel and foreign‑terrorist drone threats at the border.
- The FAA expanded an existing temporary flight restriction around Fort Hancock for “Special Security Reasons,” increasing the radius of the TFR; officials said the Fort Hancock restriction did not affect commercial airline operations and was smaller in scope than a prior El Paso shutdown.
- Top Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (including Rep. Rick Larsen and two other committee leaders) and Sen. Tammy Duckworth reacted angrily—saying their “heads are exploding,” demanding independent investigations, and criticizing the administration’s handling of the incidents; lawmakers have sought briefings.
- Lawmakers were formally notified under counter‑drone reporting rules; congressional aides told Reuters that the Pentagon’s laser takedown of the CBP drone was “accidental” and occurred in a border area that frequently sees cartel‑linked drones.
- The Fort Hancock incident was tied to earlier events: on Feb. 11, CBP fired a laser near Fort Bliss that missed its target, prompting an FAA airspace closure around El Paso that was initially announced as 10 days then reversed within hours after coordination failures—an earlier El Paso shutdown was later linked to the military shooting down what turned out to be a party balloon.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy publicly defended the El Paso airspace closure as “not a mistake” and said he plans to brief Congress on both the Fort Hancock and El Paso events.
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
February 27, 2026
7:05 AM
FAA restricts Texas airspace after Pentagon reportedly strikes down Customs and Border Protection drone
New information:
- Fox’s piece foregrounds the FAA’s explanation that a temporary flight restriction was already in place around Fort Hancock and was then expanded "to include a greater radius" but does not affect commercial flights.
- Reports that congressional aides told Reuters the Pentagon used a high‑energy laser system and that the CBP drone was brought down "accidentally" near the border, an area that frequently sees cartel‑linked drones.
- Carries a more detailed joint statement from the Department of War, CBP and FAA stressing that the engagement occurred "far away from populated areas" with no commercial aircraft nearby and reiterating that the agencies are working "in an unprecedented fashion" against cartel and foreign‑terrorist drone threats at the border.
- Quotes the top Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee saying their "heads are exploding" over the news, blaming a White House decision to sidestep a bipartisan counter‑UAS training and coordination bill for the interagency breakdown.
- Adds context that a separate recent FAA shutdown of El Paso International Airport, initially attributed to suspected Mexican cartel drones, was later tied to the U.S. military shooting down what turned out to be a party balloon.
6:08 AM
Lawmakers say US military used laser to take down Border Protection drone
New information:
- Confirms the U.S. military used a laser to shoot down a Customs and Border Protection drone and that lawmakers were formally notified under counter‑drone reporting rules.
- Specifies that the previous Feb. 11 laser firing was conducted by CBP near Fort Bliss and missed its target, but triggered an FAA decision to close El Paso airport airspace after CBP failed to coordinate in advance.
- Adds on‑the‑record reaction from key Democrats (Rep. Rick Larsen and two other committee leaders, and Sen. Tammy Duckworth) calling for independent investigations and blasting the Trump administration’s handling as 'incompetence' that causes 'chaos in our skies.'
- Clarifies that in the new Fort Hancock incident the flight‑restriction area was smaller and commercial airline operations were not affected, unlike the earlier El Paso shutdown.
- Notes Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s public defense of the earlier El Paso airspace closure as 'not a mistake' and his plan to brief Congress on both events.
5:07 AM
Pentagon shoots down Customs and Border Protection drone in Texas, federal officials say
New information:
- Confirms via federal officials that a laser weapon was used by the Defense Department to down a CBP drone near Fort Hancock, Texas.
- Provides a joint DoD–CBP–FAA statement saying the Pentagon employed counter‑UAS authorities against a 'seemingly threatening' unmanned system operating in military airspace and that the engagement occurred away from populated areas and commercial aircraft.
- Details that the FAA expanded an existing temporary flight restriction around Fort Hancock for 'Special Security Reasons' and says the restriction is not impacting commercial flights.
- Quotes three House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Democrats saying their 'heads are exploding' over DoD’s use of a 'high risk' counter‑UAS system against a CBP drone.
- Connects this incident to a Feb. 11 FAA airspace closure around El Paso tied to Pentagon high‑energy laser drone tests near Fort Bliss, initially announced as a 10‑day closure then reversed within hours.