"Late on Tuesday night, the city of El Paso, Tex., learned that the airspace over El Paso International Airport had been closed as of 11:30 P.M. local time. The ban, initially posted as lasting 10 days, was then shortened to a matter of hours. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy later announced on X that the shutdown had occurred as the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration responded to what he called a cartel drone incursion along the border."
"On Wednesday CNN reported that, according to anonymous sources, Customs and Border Protection had deployed an antidrone laser on loan from the DOD in the vicinity of Fort Bliss, adjacent to the airport. Those sources described a dispute over the use of a laser-based counter-drone system nearby and concerns that it could pose risks to air traffic. The laser, identified as a LOCUST, a directed-energy weapon used to counter drones, is a product of the defense company AeroVironment and its counter-drone unit BlueHalo."
Airspace over El Paso International Airport was closed late Tuesday, initially listed as a 10-day ban but shortened to hours. The Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration responded to what was described as a cartel drone incursion along the border. Officials announced the threat was neutralized without detailing the method. Some outlets suggested the object might have been a Mylar party balloon, while a senator said specifics remained unclear. Anonymous sources told CNN that Customs and Border Protection deployed a DOD-loaned antidrone laser near Fort Bliss, and concerns arose about the system’s risks to air traffic. The laser was identified as a LOCUST by AeroVironment.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
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