Pentagon and Defense Policy

The Pentagon and Federal Aviation Administration have agreed to conduct anti‑drone laser tests at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico this weekend after two uncoordinated laser deployments along the Texas border forced the FAA to abruptly close airspace over El Paso and Fort Hancock in February, stranding travelers. In early February, the Pentagon let U.S. Customs and Border Protection use an anti‑drone laser near El Paso without notifying the FAA, and on Feb. 26 the military used the system to shoot down what it called a "seemingly threatening" drone near the U.S.–Mexico border that lawmakers later said belonged to CBP. The new tests are explicitly aimed at addressing FAA safety concerns and improving coordination so future counter‑drone actions do not endanger civilian aircraft or require sudden closures of the National Airspace System. The FAA said it appreciates the Department of War’s cooperation and stressed it is working with interagency partners to balance emerging unmanned‑aircraft threats with aviation safety, while Sen. Tammy Duckworth has already called for an independent investigation into the February incidents. The episode underscores how rapidly deployed border‑security tech can collide with basic air‑safety rules when agencies bypass required notice and oversight.