Pentagon Wants to Deploy Lasers, Other Counter Drone Tech in US

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Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — The Pentagon is moving to speed up the deployment of high-powered lasers and other counter-drone systems around key US facilities, amid increased threats from unmanned aircraft. 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That’s where we are going. I think our interagency partners are with us.”Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe arrangement is part of a broader effort to close what US officials describe as regulatory gaps that have complicated the Pentagon’s ability to defend against proliferating drones, and comes as the department tries to expand the capabilities available to commanders defending key military facilities. Last week, Germany’s Leipzig-Halle airport, a major hub for transporting cargo and military equipment, suspended flights amid concerns about armed drones, while a cargo plane collided midair with a small unmanned craft. The need for better coordination was underscored by a high-profile incident in El Paso earlier this year, when the FAA abruptly closed the airspace around a nearby airport after a military-loaned counter-drone laser was used by Customs and Border Protection without adequate communication with aviation authorities. The airspace restriction was lifted hours later, but the episode exposed the gaps between agencies.In a separate incident just weeks later, Defense Department personnel accidentally shot down a CBP-operated drone on the Texas border with Mexico using a high-energy laser, people familiar with the matter said earlier.Since then, high-energy lasers have been approved for use at critical facilities, while high-power microwave systems are nearing similar approval, Bagnati said. The two technologies give commanders more options than just shooting drones out of the sky. 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