The U.S. military shot down three drones with a laser this week on the southern border, saying the autonomous aircraft were linked to cartels.
The operation, which took place Tuesday to Wednesday, was the first operation where the military used a high-energy laser against cartel-linked drones, according to a statement from the U.S. Northern Command. The military detected the “hostile” drones as part of activities posing a physical threat to U.S. soldiers and Customs and Border Protection personnel.
“Cartel networks are increasingly employing unmanned aircraft systems to facilitate illicit human-smuggling and actively spy on our personnel and law enforcement partners,” said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commander of the U.S. Northern Command’s southern border task force, in a statement. “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.”
The announcement did not specify where the drones were shot down or what cartels they belonged to.
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