February 12, 2026 at 9:31 PM
This Is The LOCUST Laser That Reportedly Prompted Closing El Paso’s Airspace
The U.S. Army has been acquiring multiple versions of the LOCUST laser weapon system to bolster its ability to shoot down hostile drones. The post This Is The LOCUST Laser That Reportedly Prompted Closing El Paso’s...
An AeroVironment LOCUST laser directed energy weapon owned by the U.S. Army was central to the chain of events that led to the recent shutdown of airspace around El Paso, Texas, according to Reuters. Though many questions still remain to be answered about how the flight restrictions came to be imposed, LOCUST was designed to respond to exactly the kinds of drones that regularly fly across the southern border from Mexico.
Readers can get caught up on what is known about the clampdown in the skies above El Paso on Wednesday in initial reporting here. Multiple outlets had already reported yesterday that the use of a laser counter-drone system was a key factor in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) sudden decision to impose the temporary flight restrictions over El Paso. Reuters‘ report says “two people briefed on the situation” identified the laser system in question as LOCUST.