This week, the US Army effectively employed a high-energy multipurpose laser to neutralize three drones near the US-Mexico boundary, as they represented a danger to US military personnel and CBP associates at Customs and Border Patrol. The operation took place overnight from August 25 to 26 in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, under the supervision of the Joint Task Force Southern Border (JTF-SB), which operates under US Northern Command. The mission utilized technology from the Army’s High-Energy Multipurpose Laser (AMP-HEL) system, a military program concentrating on high-energy lasers for improved defense.

Reports suggest the initiative commenced in September 2025 when AeroVironment provided initial prototypes of these laser weapon systems to the US Armed Forces. By December of that year, two enhanced systems were integrated into the program. The Locust Laser Weapon System, designed for vehicle mounting as utilized by the Army, functions at 20 kilowatts, utilizing a concentrated light beam for target identification, tracking, illumination, and eventual neutralization from a distance. The system incorporates sensors, cameras, and radars to identify targets, then accurately focuses the beam to produce heat and incapacitate the drone, with results varying based on distance, exposure duration, and target characteristics.

The most recent Locust systems, similar to the one received last December, feature radar and command-and-control technologies, permitting integration into more sophisticated mobile defense configurations instead of standalone operation. The precise location of the mission remains undisclosed, and there is no information regarding the drones’ origin or their operators. Curtis Taylor, commander of JTF-SB, hypothesized that the drones could be linked to drug trafficking organizations operating within Mexican territory.

“Cartel networks are increasingly utilizing unmanned aerial systems for smuggling and unauthorized surveillance on our forces and law enforcement. By incorporating directed-energy systems like this laser, we have demonstrated that we will not allow hostile surveillance, and we value our collaboration with the Mexican Army to address this border threat,” Major General Taylor remarked in a press release.

The official statement did not specify the precise AMP-HEL models utilized. However, media sources connected this action to President Donald Trump’s ongoing campaign against illegal immigration and drug cartels since the beginning of his second term. Trump promised stringent measures against these concerns, particularly at the US-Mexico border, implementing various technological approaches, including HEL systems, as part of this endeavor.

This article originally appeared on WIRED en Español and was translated from Spanish.