US Military Uses Laser At Border To Shoot Down Drug Cartel Drones

The U.S. military employed laser technology this week to take down cartel drones at the border, according to a statement from the Joint Task Force-Border Security (JTF-SB).

According to the statement, the military used the laser technology against “three adversarial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).”

The JTF-SB concluded the drones posed a threat to military personnel in the area as well as the Customs and Border Protection partners the task force works alongside, according to the statement.

“The successful defeat of these adversarial drones is a direct testament to the readiness, vigilance, and technological edge of the JTF,” said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commander of JTF-SB.

The JTF-SB used the Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) during the operation.

“Cartel networks are increasingly employing unmanned aircraft systems to facilitate illicit human-smuggling and actively spy on our personnel and law enforcement partners. By integrating layered countermeasures alongside advanced directed-energy capabilities like this laser system, we have made it clear that we will not tolerate hostile surveillance,” Taylor continued.

The JTF-SB has “reinforced hundreds of miles of the southern border with wire obstacles; conducted tens of thousands of detection and monitoring patrols, including in partnership with the Mexican military; executed thousands of observation flights; and cleared vegetation in remote areas.”

President Donald Trump established the task force on Jan. 22, 2025, through an executive order, directing the Department of War to “take all appropriate action to support the activities of the Secretary of Homeland Security in obtaining complete operational control of the southern border.”

“We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our CBP partners to secure this border, protect our service members, and disrupt these criminal organizations at every turn,” Taylor concluded.