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2026-02-27 Science & Technology
Pentagon uses laser to accidentally take down a drone that belonged to Customs and Border Protection
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] The US military used a laser to accidentally shoot down a Customs and Border Patrol drone in Texas while enforcing Donald Trump's efforts to crack down at the border, leaving Congressional Democrats furious.

The laser, fired near Fort Bliss, about 50 miles northwest of El Paso, was the second time in two weeks that one has been shot in the area.
Twice in two weeks? A national emergency, fer sher.
However, the earlier laser firing did not hit a target but similarly a closure of airspace in the area took place.

The Pentagon, Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Aviation Administration released a statement explaining what happened.

'At President Trump's direction, the Department of War, FAA, and Customs and Border Patrol are working together in an unprecedented fashion to mitigate drone threats by Mexican cartels and foreign terrorist organizations at the US-Mexico Border,' they said.

The Pentagon 'employed counter-unmanned aircraft system authorities to mitigate a seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace.'

No commercial flights were in the area and the shot took place far from any populated areas.

'These agencies will continue to work on increased cooperation and communication to prevent such incidents in the future.' # id) ?>
Posted by Skidmark 2026-02-27 00:00|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [1837 views ]  Top

1 Clearly Jairong is not one of the sharp ones!
Posted by Seeking Cure For Ignorance 2026-02-27 01:10||   2026-02-27 01:10|| Front Page Top

2 We support the curve.
Posted by Besoeker 2026-02-27 01:18||   2026-02-27 01:18|| Front Page Top

3 I think my comments about this blue on blue being nonlethal for once were on-topic and which part of site TOS or Code of Conduct did they violate?
Posted by Jairong+Scourge+of+the+Gepids2435 2026-02-27 01:23||   2026-02-27 01:23|| Front Page Top

4 Jairong is climbing a bunch of learning curves.
Posted by trailing wife 2026-02-27 01:39||   2026-02-27 01:39|| Front Page Top

5 "Less Annoying" would be a start
Posted by Frank G 2026-02-27 04:12||   2026-02-27 04:12|| Front Page Top

6 ^ Researching facts would be another.

FAA restricts Texas airspace after Pentagon reportedly strikes down Customs and Border Protection drone

U.S. Reps. Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson and Andre Carson said their "heads are exploding over the news" that a CBP drone was shot down by the Pentagon with "a high risk counter-unmanned aircraft system."
Posted by Skidmark 2026-02-27 07:25||   2026-02-27 07:25|| Front Page Top

7 Unofficial motto of Army Air Defense - If it flies, it dies.
Posted by Procopius2k 2026-02-27 09:44||   2026-02-27 09:44|| Front Page Top

8 If the hit a duck, the result is dinner.
Posted by Super Hose 2026-02-27 10:26||   2026-02-27 10:26|| Front Page Top

9 All this fuss over a drone.

Anyway, drones are hard to hit. Let us be impressed the laser operator is successfully climbing his or her learning curve, and buy CBP a replacement unit out of the Army’s budget.
Posted by trailing wife 2026-02-27 11:09||   2026-02-27 11:09|| Front Page Top

10 On the plus side, proof the technology works.
Posted by DarthVader 2026-02-27 11:47||   2026-02-27 11:47|| Front Page Top

11 And to be curious, what it all looked like from the CBP side of the coin.
Posted by swksvolFF 2026-02-27 12:07||   2026-02-27 12:07|| Front Page Top

12 I nominate this whole thread for snark of the day. Ha!
Posted by mossomo 2026-02-27 12:23||   2026-02-27 12:23|| Front Page Top

13 Technically, not an accident. An accident would be if Specialist Jones was drawing laser dicks in the clouds and the drone happened to cross the path.
Posted by swksvolFF 2026-02-27 14:23||   2026-02-27 14:23|| Front Page Top

14 A learning exercise with minimal downside. And the media and the Dems making a big deal out of it.

Amirite?
Posted by Bobby 2026-02-27 22:43||   2026-02-27 22:43|| Front Page Top

10:48 DarthVader
10:47 DarthVader
10:42 Frank G
10:13 Grom the Reflective
09:54 no mo uro
09:32 Procopius2k
09:32 Procopius2k
09:31 Chantry
09:29 Chantry
09:07 Skidmark
08:51 SteveS
08:46 Skidmark
08:45 Skidmark
08:32 Skidmark
08:25 Besoeker
08:16 Besoeker
07:29 Grom the Reflective
07:28 Grom the Reflective
07:21 NN2N1
07:19 Grom the Reflective
07:17 Grom the Reflective
07:06 Grom the Reflective
07:04 Grom the Reflective
06:54 Grom the Reflective
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