The New York Times says the Pentagon is considering using its controversial LOCUST laser weapon to shoot down drones at Fort Lesley J. MacNair, a military base in southeast Washington where Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both live. The base is about two miles across the Potomac River from Reagan National Airport, well within the range of the laser weapon. Use of LOCUST on the southern border near El Paso has caused airport closures and intense disagreement between the military and the FAA. So far, the only casualties have been a mylar party balloon and a $30 million drone owned by Customs and Border Protection. Both were mistaken for drones allegedly used by drug cartels at the border.
The Pentagon has not announced any plans to use the laser but did say there has been increase in drone activity near the official residences of Hegseth and Rubio. Heather Chairez, a spokeswoman for an Army security organization in the capital, told the Times she knew about drone sightings in the area and admitted that her group had stepped up interception capabilities “to keep our service members and civilians who work and live on Fort McNair safe.” The FAA declined to speculate on what impact a laser weapon two miles from DCA might have on operations there.
I don’t know about drones, but that should keep those pesky No Kings protesters at bay,
To: Whoever thought this was a good idea.
You’re fired.