US military to deploy lasers at five bases for drone defense

The US Armed Forces will deploy directed-energy weapons, including lasers and microwave systems, at five military bases to protect against drones.

The Pentagon's press service announced this development.

According to the information provided, the weapons will be installed as part of a pilot project to counter illegal drone flights at Naval Base Kitsap (Washington state), Army bases Fort Bliss (Texas) and Fort Huachuca (Arizona), as well as Air Force bases Grand Forks (North Dakota) and Whiteman (Missouri). The installation of these systems is expected to be completed within six months. "The technology enables the military to intercept and neutralize illegal or hostile drone activity with minimal risk to bystanders and infrastructure," the US Department of Defense stated.

According to the newspaper Stars and Stripes, the US Northern Command, which oversees most bases within the country, reported in October 2025 that drone incursions into the airspace of military facilities occur almost daily. In February 2025, the command's head, General Gregory Guillot, claimed that 350 such incidents were recorded in 2024. In March 2026, The Washington Post reported that unidentified drones were spotted over Fort McNair military base in Washington, DC, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth reside.

In January 2026, Hegseth approved the transfer of the highly classified Locust laser system to the US Customs and Border Protection for use at Fort Bliss in El Paso (Texas). In February, The Wall Street Journal reported that border agents used laser weapons to shoot down several balloons, mistaking them for drones operated by drug traffickers, which led to the closure of airspace over El Paso and much of southern New Mexico.

Source: TASS