Dispute over lasers led to Texas airspace closure

The sudden and surprising airspace closure over El Paso stemmed from the Pentagon's plans to test a laser for use in shooting down drones used by Mexican drug cartels, according to three people familiar with the situation who were granted anonymity to share sensitive details.

- BY SEUNG MIN KIM, BEN FINLEY, MARY CLARE JALONICK AND MORGAN LEE

THE PENTAGON wanted to test a laser for use in shooting down drones used by Mexican drug cartels, prompting shuttering of airspace.

(JEN GOLBECK SOPA Images/LightRocket)

That caused friction with the Federal Aviation Administration, which wanted to ensure commercial air safety and the two agencies sought to coordinate, according to two of the people.

Despite a meeting scheduled later this month to discuss the issue, the Pentagon wanted to go ahead and test it, prompting the FAA to shutter the airspace. The laser was used at some point, one of the people said.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said earlier that a response to an incursion by Mexican cartel drones had led to the airspace closure and that the threat had been neutralized. Drone incursions are not uncommon along the southern border.

Officials at the White House, FAA and Department of Transportation did not respond immediately Wednesday to requests for comment about the dispute. The Pentagon said it had nothing to add to its statement that largely mirrored Duffy's comment.

The FAA had originally announced a 10-day closure of the airspace, confusing travelers at the airport in the border city with a population of nearly 700,000 people. The order was lifted a few hours later. No Mexican airspace was closed.

Duffy said in a post on X that the FAA and the Defense Department “acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.”

Duffy said normal flights were resuming Wednesday morning. He did not say how many drones were involved or what specifically was done to disable them.