El Paso Airspace closed for 10 days

[TylerBeer]

Citing national defense, what in the world?

https://elpasomatters.org/2026/02/11/unexplained-faa-order-shuts-down-el-paso-southern-new-mexico-airspace-for-10-days/

[Smit]

I read it was because they were testing a new counter drone technology at nearby Fort Bliss.

What a mess to do it on short notice.

[TylerBeer]

Buddy of mine is an air traffic controller in Texas and even he didn't know

[TylerBeer]

Oh, just kidding maybe meant 10 hours

[jstell]

The 'official story' is cartel drone activity.  Lawmakers briefed on the reason for the closure say that's false, but are not at liberty to divulge the real reason.  F'ing great.  The government is telling us it is lying to us now.

[Rstewart]

I fly into that airport usually once or twice a year.  Juarez Mexico is like 2 miles from the airport and there's plenty of cartel there, seems plausible.

[jstell]

The latest is that there was maybe a test of anti-drone laser.  Or the FAA erred on the side of caution once it found out that CBP had jumped the gun deploying the thing for potential use, and didn't have enough information/coordination from/with the agency to make a decision as to whether it was safe for civilian air travel.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/flights-el-paso-airport-texas-halted-10-days-security-reasons-faa-rcna258497

https://apnews.com/article/faa-el-paso-texas-air-space-closed-1f774bdfd46f5986ff0e7003df709caa

[Rstewart]

The latest is that there was maybe a test of anti-drone laser.  Or the FAA erred on the side of caution once it found out that CBP had jumped the gun deploying the thing for potential use, and didn't have enough information/coordination from/with the agency to make a decision as to whether it was safe for civilian air travel.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/flights-el-paso-airport-texas-halted-10-days-security-reasons-faa-rcna258497

https://apnews.com/article/faa-el-paso-texas-air-space-closed-1f774bdfd46f5986ff0e7003df709caa

Not a shock either. Shit-ton of counter UAS testing at Bliss and WSMR. 

This has been around for a While.

https://thedefensepost.com/2024/04/10/us-phel-anti-drone-support/

[mowens]

According to the NYT:

"Top administration officials quickly claimed that the closure was in response to a sudden incursion of drones from Mexican drug cartels that required a military response, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy declaring in a social media post that "the threat has been neutralized."

But that assertion was undercut by multiple people familiar with the situation, who said that the F.A.A.'s extreme move came after immigration officials earlier this week used an anti-drone laser shared by the Pentagon without coordination with the F.A.A. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

C.B.P. officials thought they were firing on a cartel drone, the people said, but it turned out to be a party balloon. Defense Department officials were present during the incident, one person said.

The Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The F.A.A. declined to comment."

[Smit]

I heard the balloon thing too. It's kinda funny but also kinda NOT funny. 

[SuperHoneyBadger]

C.B.P. officials thought they were firing on a cartel drone, the people said, but it turned out to be a party balloon. Defense Department officials were present during the incident, one person said.

THEY'RE EATING THE DOGS
THEY'RE DIDDLING THE KIDS
THEY'RE LASERING THE BALLOONS


What next?

[Smit]

THEY'RE EATING THE DOGS
THEY'RE DIDDLING THE KIDS
THEY'RE LASERING THE BALLOONs

False
True
Unknown for sure

[RetiredRoger]

Just came across this.  laser test?

[Rstewart]

Heard from a little birdie that has a source in the pentagon says

This was the first thing that happened before the FAA was told to shut down -
 
https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/notam/what_is_a_notam

Sounds pretty serious

Not long after that -
https://www.aaro.mil/

Apparently, there was a recovery group.



This was also said to be an UAP initially.  Now, who knows?