The US presidential administration held a closed meeting with representatives of the Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to discuss incidents involving the use of high-energy laser systems. This was reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
Details
The reason for the discussion was a series of dangerous incidents near the Texas border, when the military used new weapons against drones without proper coordination with civilian dispatchers. The lack of communication between the agencies has already led to the accidental downing of a US government drone and the temporary closure of airspace over important border areas.
Accidental destruction of own drone and communication collapse
According to sources familiar with the situation, the Pentagon recently accidentally shot down a US Customs and Border Protection drone near Fort Hancock.
The Department of Defense used a laser system without coordinating its actions with the FAA, which forced aviation authorities to urgently expand flight restrictions to ensure safety. This incident was the second in the last two weeks – a similar situation in the El Paso area led to an airspace blockade, which was officially explained by a threat from Mexican drug cartels, although the real reason was an uncoordinated laser test.
Lawmakers' reaction and calls for an independent investigation
The recurrence of dangerous incidents has drawn sharp criticism from US lawmakers, who are demanding an independent investigation into the violation of interaction protocols between government agencies.
A joint statement by the Pentagon, the FAA, and the Border Patrol states that the agencies are working to strengthen cooperation to prevent similar mistakes in the future. At the same time, officials emphasized that the use of such technologies is a forced step to counter unprecedented threats from foreign terrorist organizations and Mexican criminal structures on the southern border.