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The military says it has a new trick that seems to be working at the southern border: a high‑energy laser weapon that, according to Army officials speaking to CBS News, was followed by a roughly 75% drop in drone probing in the Rio Grande Valley. That is the specific, recent development — a field demo and on‑the‑record assessment that the laser changed the calculus for cartel drones. If you care about border security, this is the kind of hard, practical fix we should be cheering — and expanding — not arguing over in committees while the problem gets worse.
What the military actually did
Field teams rolled out a vehicle‑mounted, palletized laser system — a variant of the LOCUST high‑energy laser the Army has been buying — and used it to disable multiple quadcopters during its operational debut in late August. Officials told reporters the system took down several drones in short order and that the Army has stopped roughly 300 suspected cartel drones this year, with about 11 taken down by laser over a ten‑day span. The machine uses sensors, an operator console (yes, it looks a bit like a game controller) and a focused heat beam to put drones permanently out of service, not just push them around.
Why the 75% drop matters — and what it may mean
A 75% drop in drone probing in the Rio Grande Valley is striking if it holds up. Military leaders say the timing matches the laser’s debut, and deterrence is real: when a tool can destroy a threat instead of merely jamming it, the bad actors have to change their playbook. Officials also caution that cartels could be shifting routes or tactics, so the figure is an operational assessment, not a forensic proof of cause and effect. Still, if cartel drones are vanishing when a lethal but precise tool shows up, that’s a win for border security and for communities under threat.
FAA concerns and the bureaucracy that slowed us down
Let’s not pretend this rollout was drama‑free. Earlier uses of counter‑drone lasers led to FAA airspace restrictions and plenty of finger‑wagging about safety. That was a legitimate concern — lasers and civilian aircraft need careful coordination — but it also exposed how interagency caution can become paralysis. Now the Department of Defense says it has regular coordination with the FAA. Good. The next step is to keep safety high while refusing to let red tape become cover for inaction. Cartels don’t wait for permission slips.
Where we go from here
Congress and the Pentagon should treat this report as a call to act, not to posture. The Army’s recent production award for LOCUST‑family lasers — a significant investment — was the right move. Give field commanders the tools they need, maintain real FAA safeguards, and push for more rapid, transparent reporting so independent analysts can confirm results. If a laser on a truck can cut cartel drone probing by three‑quarters, that’s the kind of practical, technology‑forward approach Republicans should press for across the board: fund solutions, clear the red tape, and let the military protect the border.
