Pentagon and FAA to stage weekend anti-drone laser tests at White Sands

The Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration agreed to conduct coordinated anti-drone laser tests at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico over a single weekend, the military said, a move the service described as intended to "specifically address FAA safety concerns." The announcement follows two incidents this month in which military or military-used counter-drone laser activity prompted the FAA to close airspace in Texas, stranding passengers and raising questions about interagency coordination.

Federal officials and lawmakers said the early-February episode involved U.S. Customs and Border Protection deploying an anti-drone laser without formally notifying the FAA, which prompted a temporary closure of airspace over El Paso and left many travelers stranded. On Feb. 26, the U.S. military fired a laser at a "seemingly threatening" unmanned aircraft near the U.S.-Mexico border; the drone was later identified as belonging to CBP, and the FAA closed the airspace around Fort Hancock, about 50 miles, or 80 kilometers, southeast of El Paso.

The planned weekend tests, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, are being presented as a safety exercise to shore up procedures for operations that could affect the National Airspace System. The military said the testing would "specifically address FAA safety concerns." The FAA added, "We appreciate the coordination with the Department of War to help ensure public safety," and, "The 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."

Under federal rules, the military is required to formally notify the FAA when it takes any counter-drone action inside U.S. airspace. The two closures this month exposed gaps in that notification framework and in real-time communication between agencies operating near the border, officials and lawmakers said. Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, the ranking member on the Senate Aviation Subcommittee, has called for an independent investigation into the February incidents, arguing that the events revealed coordination failures with direct consequences for travelers and air safety.

Beyond immediate travel disruptions, the episodes have highlighted a clash between homeland security missions and the FAA's mandate to keep the skies safe for commercial and general aviation. Federal agencies contend that unmanned aircraft systems have become a growing hazard along the southern border, complicating law enforcement missions and prompting new countermeasures. At the same time, the FAA must balance those responses against the risk that military or other federal counter-drone actions could endanger civilian aircraft.

Officials have not released the full text of the military or FAA statements, nor have they disclosed the exact systems, units or calendar dates for the White Sands tests. Local air-traffic notices and specific safety protocols for the weekend were not published at the time of the announcement. The lack of detail is fueling calls from oversight officials for clearer procedures, including formal notification timelines, public safety safeguards and documentation of how agencies will avoid disrupting civilian air travel during future counter-drone operations.

The tests at White Sands are positioned as a short-term corrective measure to restore predictable coordination between defense and aviation authorities; whether they will satisfy lawmakers seeking an independent review of the February closures remains to be seen.