US Government Counter-Drone Testing Disrupted DC Flights in 2025
Source: US News & World Report/Reuters
Feb. 11, 2026, at 3:25 p.m.
WASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration's decision to briefly close El Paso airport to all traffic was prompted by safety concerns over testing of a new laser-based counter-drone technology at the nearby U.S. Army Fort Bliss, sources told Reuters.
It was not the first time the issue has impacted flights. In March, testing of counter-drone technology near Reagan Washington National Airport by the U.S. Secret Service and Navy led to numerous flight crews receiving faulty alerts of potentially nearby aircraft, the FAA and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz said.
Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, disclosed at a hearing last year that faulty alerts that caused some flights to abort landings were due to the government testing using the same spectrum band as the alerting system. That led to interference that impacted at least a dozen flights.
Cruz, a Republican from Texas, called the testing inappropriate and "deeply disturbing" after a January 2025 fatal collision of an American Airlines regional jet and an Army helicopter killed 67 people. "The FAA had previously warned the Navy and the Secret Service against using that specific spectrum band due to interference risks," Cruz said.
Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2026-02-11/us-government-counterof-drone-testing-disrupted-dc-flights-in-2025
REFERENCES
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143614581
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143614676
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143614878
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