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The Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration agreed to conduct anti-drone laser tests in New Mexico after the military’s deployment of the lasers led the FAA to suddenly close airspace in Texas twice in the last month.<\/p>\n
The newly announced testing was being carried out to \u201cspecifically address FAA safety concerns,\u201d the military said Friday in a statement. It was to take place Saturday and Sunday at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. <\/p>\n
Lawmakers were concerned about an apparent lack of coordination after the Pentagon allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to use an anti-drone laser in early February without notifying the FAA. The federal agency that ensures safety in the skies decided to close the airspace<\/a> over El Paso for a few hours, stranding many travelers.<\/p>\n The Trump administration said it was working to halt an incursion by Mexican cartel drones, which are not uncommon along the southern border.<\/p>\n On Feb. 26 the U.S. military used the laser to shoot down<\/a> a \u201cseemingly threatening\u201d drone flying near the U.S.-Mexico border. It turned out the drone belonged to Customs and Border Protection, lawmakers said. <\/p>\n The incident led the FAA to close the airspace around Fort Hancock, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of El Paso. <\/p>\n \u201cWe appreciate the coordination with the Department of War to help ensure public safety,\u201d the FAA said of the testing, in a separate statement. \u201cThe FAA and DOW are working with interagency partners to address emerging threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems while maintaining the safety of the National Airspace System.\u201d<\/p>\n The military is required to formally notify the FAA when it takes any counter-drone action<\/a> inside U.S. airspace.<\/p>\n Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, the ranking member on the Senate\u2019s Aviation Subcommittee, called previously for an independent investigation after the two February incidents.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n