Drones are clearly the up-and-coming thing, not only in warfare, but in crime as well. The drug cartels that trade in drugs and human lives across our southern border are using them, to scout for clear routes into the United States and doubtless for other nefarious purposes. 

However, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, and in this case the United States military has started zapping cartel drones with a high-energy laser system. In the first trial of this system, three cartel drones were shot down, according to the United States Northern Command; that's a good first test.

The official press release from Northern Command adds:

During the operation, which spanned the late-night hours of August 25 and 26, JTF-SB personnel used the Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) system to engage and defeat three hostile UAS, determined to be such based on their use in direct support of activities posing a physical threat to U.S. military personnel and CBP partners.

“The successful defeat of these adversarial drones is a direct testament to the readiness, vigilance, and technological edge of the JTF,” said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commander of JTF-SB. “Cartel networks are increasingly employing unmanned aircraft systems to facilitate illicit human-smuggling and actively spy on our personnel and law enforcement partners. By integrating layered countermeasures alongside advanced directed-energy capabilities like this laser system, we have made it clear that we will not tolerate hostile surveillance. We also greatly appreciate the support of our Mexican Army partners as we work together to combat this threat to the border region.”

The cartels doubtless have a lot more drones. But this piece of technology is interesting indeed; it may be the best way yet to deal with cartel drones. So far, at least, the cartels are not using these things as weapons, but as reconnaissance assets. They aren't armed, at least, not yet. Specialized interceptors can take out drones, but they are expensive. Drones can be hard to hit with gunfire, and in any case, spraying bullets skyward isn't the safest practice.

But a laser? One laser can take out a fair number of drones, as this test run has shown. And we could make a lot of lasers.

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The AMP-HEL system isn't a hand-held gizmo. These are vehicle-mounted high-intensity units capable of producing 20 kilowatts of laser power. The Army isn't releasing anything official as to the laser's effective range, but there are reports of ranges as long as two to three miles. That means one mobile system can cover a lot of ground. And, it's hard to see the cartels coming up with a quick and easy counter for a mobile laser system mounted in a hardened vehicle. 

This is a system that is not only making the cartels maladjusted, but also travels at Cool Factor Eight. Only in America.