Pentagon and FAA Will Conduct Anti-Drone Laser Tests After Earlier Deployments Twice Closed Texas Airspace in the Last Month

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The Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration reached an agreement to conduct anti-drone laser tests in New Mexico after the military’s deployment of the lasers caused the FAA to abruptly close airspace in Texas two times in the past month.

The newly announced testing was being carried out to “specifically address FAA safety concerns,” the military stated on Friday in a statement. It was scheduled to occur on Saturday and Sunday at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

Lawmakers were worried about an apparent lack of coordination after the Pentagon permitted U.S. Customs and Border Protection to use an anti-drone laser in early February without informing the FAA. The federal agency responsible for ensuring safety in the skies decided to over El Paso for a few hours, leaving many travelers stranded.

The Trump administration said it was working to stop an incursion by Mexican cartel drones, which are not unusual along the southern border.

On Feb. 26 the U.S. military a “seemingly threatening” drone flying near the U.S.-Mexico border. It turned out the drone belonged to Customs and Border Protection, lawmakers said.

The incident led the FAA to close the airspace around Fort Hancock, approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of El Paso.

“We appreciate the coordination with the Department of War to help ensure public safety,” the FAA said regarding the testing, in a separate statement. “The FAA and DOW are collaborating with interagency partners to address emerging threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems while maintaining the safety of the National Airspace System.”

The military is required to formally notify the FAA when it takes any inside U.S. airspace.

Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, the ranking member on the Senate’s Aviation Subcommittee, previously called for an independent investigation after the two February incidents.

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