MARKET STRUCTURE · REGULATORY · USA
US counter-drone laser incident involving CBP drone near the US–Mexico border
Change
On Feb. 26, 2026, the U.S. military used a laser under counter-UAS authorities to down a “seemingly threatening” drone in military airspace near Fort Hancock, later identified by lawmakers as a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) drone, prompting the FAA to close additional nearby airspace.
Why it matters
The Pentagon, CBP, and FAA jointly acknowledged the military employed counter-unmanned aircraft system authorities to mitigate a drone operating within military airspace on Feb. 26, 2026. Lawmakers said the drone was a CBP platform, indicating a misidentification during counter-UAS operations. The FAA responded by closing additional airspace around Fort Hancock (southeast of El Paso), reflecting immediate airspace-management consequences tied to counter-drone actions. The report also notes this was the second laser use in the area in two weeks, following a prior incident near Fort Bliss that triggered broader air-traffic disruption around El Paso airport.
Implications
- • Increased FAA airspace restrictions around Fort Hancock following counter-UAS action
- • Higher risk of mission disruption for CBP UAS operations near military airspace
- • Added coordination burden between DoD, FAA, and CBP for counter-UAS notifications
- • Potential operational pauses for nearby civil aviation when counter-drone actions occur
Who is affected
- • U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) UAS operators and mission planners
- • U.S. Department of Defense units conducting counter-UAS operations
- • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airspace management and ATC operations
- • Civil aviation operators transiting near El Paso/Fort Hancock airspace
Source
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