Defense on the border: US navy shoots down its personal drone | EUROtoday

The US Department of Defense shot down a drone belonging to its personal Customs and Border Protection (CBP) within the border space with Mexico. The navy used a high-energy laser close to Fort Hancock within the state of Texas, because the New York Times reported, citing 4 folks conversant in the matter. The airspace was briefly restricted.

According to the Department of Defense, CBP and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the shoot-down was carried out to neutralize an “apparently threatening unmanned aerial vehicle” in navy airspace. The incident occurred “far away from inhabited areas” and there have been no civilian plane close by.

However, based on data from the New York Times, the border safety company had not knowledgeable the navy that it wished to launch its personal drone within the space. The plane due to this fact appeared unknown to the navy, the newspaper reported, citing a Pentagon consultant conversant in the investigation.

There had already been an identical incident within the area in the beginning of February. At that point, the border safety company used a laser system offered by the navy to shoot at a flying object that was initially regarded as a drone belonging to suspected Mexican drug cartels. According to US media studies, it turned out that it was a celebration balloon. In each instances the airspace was briefly restricted.

According to the assertion, on the route of US President Donald Trump, authorities are working collectively “in an unprecedented manner” to counter drone threats on the border with Mexico. They are working “on increased collaboration and communication to prevent such incidents in the future.”

Opposition: “We are stunned”

Several Democratic lawmakers stated on Platform

They accused the White House of bypassing a bipartisan invoice to enhance coaching for drone protection forces and nearer coordination between the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Aviation Administration. The incident was “the result of this incompetence.”