Army's 20kW laser downs three drones near southern border
The U.S. Army employed a 20-kilowatt laser weapon system to shoot down three drones near the Texas-Mexico border, citing a physical threat to military and border patrol personnel. The operation, conducted by Joint Task Force Southern Border, used the Locust system developed by AeroVironment, which can detect, track, and destroy targets with a concentrated beam. This marks a practical deployment of high-energy laser technology in a real-world defense scenario.
The engagement occurred between the night of August 25 and early morning of August 26 near the Rio Grande Valley, with Joint Task Force Southern Border overseeing the mission under U.S. Northern Command. AeroVironment delivered the first two Locust prototypes in September 2025, followed by two upgraded versions in December 2025 that added integrated radar and command-and-control systems for easier mounting on mobile defense platforms.
The Locust operates at 20 kilowatts, using sensors and cameras to acquire targets before focusing a concentrated beam that converts electrical energy into heat, damaging or disabling drones based on distance and exposure time. JTF-SB commander Curtis Taylor suggested the aircraft may have been operated by cartel networks using drones for smuggling coordination and surveillance of military and border patrol positions.
This deployment could signal a broader shift in how military and law enforcement address drone threats along national borders, potentially reducing reliance on kinetic interceptors that risk collateral damage. Border communities and personnel may see altered security dynamics, though questions could arise about the legal boundaries of directed-energy use in domestic-adjacent operations and whether such systems might eventually appear in civilian law enforcement contexts.