US Military Shoots Down 3 Mexican Cartel Drones With Laser

The U.S. military successfully intercepted and disabled three drones operated by Mexican drug cartels near the Texas-Mexico border using a high-energy laser system, officials announced on August 27. The operation, conducted by the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, took place overnight on August 25-26 in the Rio Grande Valley, a region known for heavy cartel activity.

The Joint Task Force-Southern Border (JTF-SB) classified the drones as hostile, citing a direct threat to U.S. military personnel and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commander of JTF-SB, emphasized the military’s commitment to countering cartel surveillance and drone threats along the border. “Cartel networks are increasingly employing unmanned aircraft systems to facilitate illicit human-smuggling and actively spy on our personnel and law enforcement partners,” Taylor stated. “By integrating layered countermeasures alongside advanced directed-energy capabilities like this laser system, we have made it clear that we will not tolerate hostile surveillance.”

This incident highlights growing concerns over cartel-operated drones in the region. Former U.S. Border Patrol agent Ammon Blair, now a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, previously reported hearing cartel drones tracking agents in real time. “You'd be running, and you'd have a drone right above your head and tracking every move you made,” Blair recalled in March 2025. In February, airspace near El Paso International Airport was closed for seven hours due to unauthorized drone activity, prompting a White House response that confirmed cartel drones had breached U.S. airspace.

The U.S. military did not disclose specific details about the laser weapon used but confirmed it was part of the Army’s Multipurpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) prototype. In August 2025, AeroVironment Inc., based in Arlington, Virginia, announced the delivery of two AMP-HEL systems to the Army, integrating its LOCUST laser technology onto military vehicles. This follows a broader effort to deploy advanced counter-drone technologies along the southern border.

The operation also reflects the Trump administration’s aggressive stance against Mexican cartels. In January 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) as foreign terrorist organizations. This move, analysts suggest, could justify increased military actions against cartel targets. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed that all options, including cross-border strikes, remain under consideration. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has strongly opposed any U.S. military intervention on Mexican soil.

Cartels have increasingly used drones for surveillance and smuggling, though no explosives were found in the Texas incident. In other parts of Mexico, armed drones have been linked to fatal attacks. Meanwhile, international efforts to disrupt cartel arms trafficking continue, with four individuals allegedly affiliated with CJNG indicted in the U.S. after being arrested in the Czech Republic for attempting to purchase heavy weapons.

The JTF-SB currently has 8,000 personnel deployed across 1,954 miles of the southern border, working alongside CBP and Mexican authorities to counter cartel operations.

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