US Army Downs Three Drones Near Mexico Border Using High-Energy Laser

The US Army this week reported using a high-energy multipurpose laser to shoot down three drones near the US-Mexico border, stating the aircraft posed a physical threat to military personnel and Customs and Border Patrol agents.

The operation took place overnight between August 25 and 26 in the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas, led by the Joint Task Force Southern Border (JTF-SB), which operates under US Northern Command. The technology used stems from the Army's High-Energy Multipurpose Laser (AMP-HEL) program.

The laser technology

The initiative began in September 2025, when defense technology company AeroVironment delivered the first two working prototypes to US forces. Two additional, improved systems followed in December as the program expanded. The platform, known as the Locust Laser Weapon System, is designed to be mounted on military vehicles.

Operating at 20 kilowatts, Locust uses a highly concentrated light beam to detect, track, illuminate, damage, or destroy targets. The system relies on sensors, cameras, and radar to locate objects, then precisely focuses the beam on a moving target, using an added electrical charge to convert the beam into heat that damages or disables the drone. The most recent versions, including those delivered in December, incorporate radar and command-and-control systems for integration into broader mobile defense platforms.

Possible cartel connection

The exact location of the operation has not been disclosed, and there is no confirmed information about the drones' origin or operators. However, JTF-SB commander Curtis Taylor suggested the aircraft could be linked to criminal networks involved in drug trafficking and operations in Mexican territory.

In a press statement, Taylor said cartel networks are increasingly using unmanned aircraft to facilitate human smuggling and to spy on military and law enforcement personnel, and thanked Mexican Army partners for their cooperation in countering the threat.

International media have linked the operation to President Donald Trump's ongoing campaign against illegal immigration and drug cartels since beginning his second term, during which his administration has deployed a range of technologies along the border, with high-energy laser systems now part of that expanding toolkit.