Media: US military uses secret laser system to shoot down balloon, mistaken for drug cartel drone
According to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, border officials in Texas shot down a balloon in the air using a highly classified laser system during the closure of El Paso Airport on Wednesday, mistaking it for a drone used by a Mexican drug cartel.
On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily closed the airspace around El Paso International Airport in Texas for safety reasons and stated that the restrictions would last until February 21, but they were lifted later that day. Subsequently, CBS reported that the closure of the El Paso airspace originated from a miscommunication between the FAA and the Pentagon regarding the testing of anti-drone weapons.
The report said: "Customs and Border Protection officers used a highly classified laser system from the Pentagon to shoot down several drones they believed were deployed by a Mexican drug cartel along the southern border... but it turned out that these flying objects were likely just balloons."
Axios website further pointed out that Texas border personnel used the "Locust" laser system developed by "AeroVironment" company. The Pentagon considers it an advanced weapon system against drones.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856970840011788/
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