US Military Mistakenly Shoots Down CBP Drone Near Mexican Border

The US military has mistakenly shot down a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) drone near the Mexican border. The incident reportedly involved a laser-based anti-drone system. Meanwhile, the CBP uses drones to track people crossing the border.

Incident Details

According to Reuters, the Pentagon used a high-energy laser system to shoot down the CBP drone. However, the Defense Department didn’t realize the drone was being flown by CBP when it shot it down. Additionally, the military hadn’t first coordinated the use of the laser system with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Furthermore, the CBP drone operators didn’t inform the military’s laser unit that it was launching. Therefore, the military viewed the aircraft as an unknown drone. The incident occurred in an area that often has incursions from Mexican drones used by drug cartels.

Previous Incidents

The latest incident came about two weeks after the FAA abruptly closed airspace over El Paso for a few hours, leading to flight cancellations. In the early February incident, the CBP was the one that fired the laser. The CBP was using the same technology on loan from the military to combat drug-smuggling and fired a high-energy laser at what they thought was a drone, but turned out to be a party balloon.

In both cases, the lasers were used without the FAA’s approval, which many aviation safety experts maintain is a violation of the law. The FAA closed some airspace along the border with Mexico in Fort Hancock, Texas, on Thursday with a notice announcing temporary flight restrictions for special security reasons.

Reactions and Criticisms

Democratic lawmakers criticized the Trump administration. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), ranking member of the Senate Aviation Subcommittee, said, “The Trump administration’s incompetence continues to cause chaos in our skies.” Duckworth said, “The situation is alarming and demands a thorough, independent investigation.”

US Reps. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), André Carson (D-Ind.), and Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) also issued a statement. They said, “Our heads are exploding over the news that DoD reportedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a high-risk counter-unmanned aircraft system.”

Airspace Restrictions and Investigations

The Pentagon, CBP, and FAA confirmed some details of the incident in a joint statement. The statement said the engagement occurred when the Department of War employed counter-unmanned aircraft system authorities to mitigate a seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace.

The agencies said they are working together at President Trump’s direction to mitigate drone threats by Mexican cartels and foreign terrorist organizations at the US-Mexico Border. Following the mistake, agencies will continue to work on increased cooperation and communication to prevent such incidents in the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the US military mistakenly shooting down a CBP drone near the Mexican border is a serious incident that demands attention. The lack of coordination between the Pentagon, CBP, and FAA is alarming and highlights the need for improved communication and cooperation. Therefore, it is essential to investigate this incident thoroughly and take necessary steps to prevent such incidents in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happened in the incident near the Mexican border? The US military mistakenly shot down a CBP drone using a laser-based anti-drone system.
2. Why did the military shoot down the drone? The military viewed the aircraft as an unknown drone because the CBP drone operators didn’t inform the military’s laser unit that it was launching.
3. What are the implications of this incident? The incident highlights the need for improved communication and cooperation between the Pentagon, CBP, and FAA to prevent such incidents in the future.
4. What is being done to investigate the incident? The Pentagon, CBP, and FAA are working together to investigate the incident and take necessary steps to prevent such incidents in the future.
5. What is the focus keyword for this incident? The focus keyword is “US military drone incident”.