GoKawiilUS Army downs three drones near Texas border using AeroVironment's Locust laser
The US Army's Joint Task Force Southern Border used a 20-kilowatt Locust Laser Weapon System to destroy three drones near the Rio Grande Valley overnight on August 25-26, after officials said the drones threatened military and border patrol personnel. The vehicle-mounted laser, derived from the Army's AMP-HEL program, was supplied by defense contractor AeroVironment, which delivered its first prototypes in September 2025 and expanded the fleet in December.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
This marks one of the first operational uses of directed-energy weapons for domestic border security, signaling a shift from traditional kinetic countermeasures to laser-based drone defense. It also highlights growing concern over unauthorized drone activity near the southern border and the military's push to field low-cost, reusable weapons against low-altitude aerial threats.
- Three drones were destroyed using a high-energy laser near the Texas-Mexico border in late August.
- The Locust Laser Weapon System, built by AeroVironment, operates at 20 kilowatts and is mounted on military vehicles.
- The deployment reflects the Army's expanding use of directed-energy weapons, with new units delivered in September and December 2025.
Source: wired.com — Fernanda González, 2026-09-01
Published there as: “Using High-Energy Laser, US Shoots Down Drones Near Mexico Border”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.