The FAA has closed a sliver of airspace along the Mexican border at Fort Hancock, Texas, after federal lawmakers reported that a Defense Department laser weapon had shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone. The airspace was closed starting Thursday until June 23 but it’s not clear when the drone was zapped. Unlike a similar closure two weeks ago the TFR doesn’t affect any commercial air traffic in nearby El Paso. Congress was briefed on the incident on Thursday. Details of the laser incident are scant. It’s not known exactly what type of laser weapon was used or what kind of drone got shot down. The larger question being asked by incredulous federal officials is how it happened in the first place.
“Our heads are exploding over the news that DoD reportedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a high risk counter-unmanned aircraft system,” three lawmakers, including Rick Larsen, the ranking member of the House Transportation Committee, along with André Carson, D-Ind., and Bennie G. Thompson, D-Miss., said in a statement. They blamed a lack of training caused by a White House political maneuver for the incident. “We said MONTHS ago that the White House’s decision to sidestep a bipartisan, tri-committee bill to appropriately train C-UAS operators and address the lack of coordination between the Pentagon, DHS and the FAA was a short-sighted idea. Now, we’re seeing the result of its incompetence,” the members said. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he is planning to brief lawmakers about the incident this week.
In I.T. we used to say “nothing tests like production”; it seems that in live-fire, nothing tests like lack of coordination. CBP needs to realize they need permission to enter military airspace, just like the rest of us.
There is no charted prohibited or special use airspace in that location. Or, at least, there wasn’t until the recent TFR, which was implemented after the shoot-down.
So, no. No permission was required and indeed there is nobody controlling the airspace from whom to request such permission.
You can look at a chart and see this. It is simply class G airspace up to 1200 feet AGL.
If you think its expensive to hire a professional, try hiring an amateur.
I don’t know why I’m laughing. Clearly the right side of my brain is not communicating with the left.
If we have drone shoot-down capability by laser, why isn’t in Ukraine?
It is.
. The larger question being asked by incredulous federal officials is how it happened in the first place.
Well
when you have a shot first ask later policy, its not really a big surprise.
DoD shot down a drone, operated by DHS (CBP); the right hand didn’t know what the left was doing.
But DOT will speak to Congress…
Let me guess, the politician with the exploding head was a Democrat. (Re-reads story) Yep.
If you flew through that airspace in a small nordo (okay, they are all small…) and some trigger-happy half-wit with a fancy new toy set you on fire, would your head be exploding, or perhaps imploding?