The Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration have agreed to conduct anti-drone laser tests in New Mexico this weekend, following two instances where military laser deployments prompted sudden airspace closures in Texas.
Scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the White Sands Missile Range, these tests aim to “specifically address FAA safety concerns,” the military stated on Friday.
This initiative follows lawmaker concerns over an apparent lack of coordination.
Earlier in February, the Pentagon permitted US Customs and Border Protection to use an anti-drone laser without notifying the FAA.
This oversight led to the closure of airspace over El Paso for several hours, stranding many travellers.
The administration at the time indicated the measure was intended to halt incursions by Mexican cartel drones, often observed along the southern border.
A subsequent incident on 26 February saw the US military use a laser to shoot down a “seemingly threatening” drone near the US-Mexico border. Lawmakers later confirmed the drone belonged to Customs and Border Protection.
The incident led the FAA to close the airspace around Fort Hancock, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of El Paso.
A source told The Associated Press the laser was deployed near Fort Bliss without coordinating with the FAA, which decided then to close the airspace to ensure commercial air safety.
Sources told CBS News that FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford did not consult the White House, Pentagon or Homeland Security officials over the decision.
The technology was also used despite a meeting scheduled for later this month between the Pentagon and the FAA to discuss the issue, the sources added.
“We appreciate the coordination with the Department of War to help ensure public safety,” the FAA said of the testing, in a separate statement.
“The FAA and DOW are working 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 counter-drone action inside U.S. airspace.
Illinois Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, the ranking member on the Senate’s Aviation Subcommittee, called previously for an independent investigation after the two February incidents.
