WASHINGTON: A secret military laser-based anti-drone system prompted the Trump administration to ban air traffic for more than seven hours in and out of the Texas border city of El Paso after US aviation officials raised drastic concerns about the safety of commercial air traffic.
The sudden closure of the nation’s 71st busiest airport by the Federal Aviation Administration stranded air travelers and disrupted medical evacuation flights overnight. The FAA initially said the closure would last 10 days for “special security reasons,” in what would have been an unprecedented action involving a single airport. Government and airline officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the FAA closed the airspace due to concerns that an Army laser-based counter-drone system could pose risks to air traffic. The two agencies had planned to discuss the issue at a February 20 meeting but the Army opted to proceed without FAA approval, sources said, which prompted the FAA to halt flights.
The Army’s laser was a direct-energy weapon called LOCUST and is manufactured by AeroVironment, a Virginia-based drone and counter-drone defense firm, two people briefed on the matter said. The company and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
