The FAA briefly closed the airspace over El Paso, Texas, after the military used a high-powered laser to shoot down what appeared to be a drone but was actually just a party balloon.
CBS reports that the Pentagon wanted to use the technology to practice shooting down drones near Fort Bliss, which is next to El Paso International Airport. Despite meetings scheduled to discuss safety issues, DoD officials wanted to test the laser quickly, claiming that legal requirements over the protection of facilities from unmanned aircraft had been satisfied.
The anti-drone laser was launched earlier this week near the U.S.’s southern border to target what was thought to be foreign drones. Instead, a party balloon was shot down.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford then decided to close El Paso’s airspace Tuesday night without telling the White House, the DoD, or the Department of Homeland Security, according to unnamed sources. Bedford reportedly told officials that the airspace would be closed until the Pentagon resolved its issues with the FAA.
Initially, the restriction on planes being barred from flying below 18,000 was set for 10 days, something that hasn’t been in place since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Any aircraft that violated the restriction could have been shot down.
Wednesday morning’s airspace closure caused a brief panic among government agencies, as even emergency medical evacuations were halted. When the discussion reached the White House, the FAA lifted the restriction within minutes.
“The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming,” Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in a statement.
The DoD failed to communicate with the FAA in this instance, which has happened before during Trump’s second term. Just over a year ago, a military helicopter collided with a passenger plane near Ronald Reagan National Airport and killed 67 people. This time, a brief airspace closure and a downed party balloon seem to be the only repercussions (that we know about). Hopefully, this is an isolated incident and not evidence of a more serious issue.
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