WORLDTECHUS Army deploys 20-kW laser weapon to intercept cartel drones on southern border 81
What happened
On November 3, 2026, the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service released images of soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division conducting training with the Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) mounted on a light tactical platform near Fort Hancock, Texas. Army is expanding its domestic use of mobile directed-energy weapons through Operation Ardent Vanguard as an anti-drone strategy.
The 101st Airborne Division, known as the “Screaming Eagles,” is a US Army light infantry unit specializing in rapid air assault operations. The soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment of the Army under Joint Task Force-Southern Border participated in the tactical exercise. The deployment couples the 20-kilowatt directed-energy system developed by AeroVironment for countering unmanned aircraft systems with the Infantry Squad Vehicle developed by General Motors Defense.