US Army tests counter-drone tech at Mexican border as cartel drone use rises
Officials said cartel drone incursions reached 378 in 30 days as soldiers tested lasers, interceptor drones and automated guns against commercial systems.
- The Army is testing counter-drone technology along the US-Mexico border near Yuma, Arizona, evaluating systems designed to detect and disable small unmanned aircraft used by cartels.
- Brigadier General Brian Filler of the Joint Task Force Southern Border reported 378 drone incursions in the previous 30 days, with most carrying surveillance cameras linked to smuggling operations.
- During the September Falcon Peak exercise, defense firms demonstrated Anduril's Ghost drone, Teledyne FLIR detection technology, the Bullfrog machine gun by Allen Control Systems, and interceptor drones from Powerus.
- Military officials reported downed 11 cartel drones using lasers since August, reflecting the Pentagon's growing embrace of venture-backed defense technology to strengthen border operations.
- Brigadier General Matt Ross emphasized the need to "replicate that process" from Ukraine's rapid adaptation, though military officials caution that cartel drones lack battlefield sophistication.
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The U.S. Army is testing anti-drone technologies at the border with Mexico in order to strengthen its defenses in the face of the increasing use of these equipment by cartels. The military also seeks to reproduce the rapid pace of innovation observed in the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Defense News
US Army tests counter-drone tech at Mexican border as cartel drone use rises
The service is seeking to sharpen its defenses against the growing threat of drone use by cartels.
Arizona-Mexico border used as drone test site
YUMA — The US Army is testing counter-drone technology in the US-Mexico border area, seeking to sharpen its defenses against the growing threat of drone use by cartels and emulate the rapid battlefield innovation happening in Ukraine's war with Russia.
The American military has begun testing drone systems on the border with Mexico because of the increased activity of drug cartels drones, reported the Deputy Commander of the Joint Task Force, Brigadier General Brian Filler. Over the past 30 days, 378 drone penetrations have been detected on the southern border, wrote Reuters. "We have seen mostly commercially available drones that can be acquired in ready form," Filler said. Criminal groups hav…
On June 16, 2026, a U.S. Army paratrooper prepares to launch a drone system during training in the Middle East. (Credit: US Army)
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