U.S. Deploys LOCUST Laser Weapon Against Cartel-Linked Drones at Southern Border.

The U.S. Army has released new footage showing AeroVironment’s LOCUST directed-energy weapon engaging cartel-linked UAVs at the southern border, confirming its operational use in border security missions. The deployment strengthens the Army’s counter-UAS capability against low-cost aerial threats associated with cartel activity.

The footage shows LOCUST integrated into U.S. Army counter-UAS operations along the southern border, where forces are using directed-energy systems to detect, track, and engage small unmanned aircraft linked to cartel activity. Mounted on a mobile platform and designed for repeated engagements at very low cost per shot, the system gives deployed units an alternative to missile- or gun-based interceptors against Group 1 to Group 3 UAVs, while allowing rapid repositioning across border sectors where drone activity poses a threat to personnel, facilities, and ongoing security operations.

Related News: U.S. Army Uses Laser Weapon to Destroy 11 Cartel-Linked Drones at Mexico Border 

The new video shows the system mounted on an Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and operating at night. (Picture source: AeroVironment)

As Army Recognition reported in early September, the U.S. Northern Command stated on September 4, 2026, that 11 cartel-linked drones had been neutralized since the system began operations in August. The figures highlight the potential of directed-energy weapons against specific types of threats, particularly small, low-cost UAVs. This event follows other deployments, notably to secure El Paso Airport (Texas) in February 2026.

The new video shows the system mounted on an Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and operating at night. The configuration combines the mobility of the JLTV with the engagement capabilities of the laser weapon, allowing the system to be deployed and repositioned rapidly.

AeroVironment’s LOCUST was selected in early September for a $464.8 million U.S. Army contract under the Enduring High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program. The system is attracting interest beyond the U.S. Army, with the U.S. Navy also testing the technology aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush.

LOCUST is a high-energy laser weapon system designed to engage aerial threats from Group 1 to Group 3. It combines directed-energy defeat capabilities with advanced target tracking. According to AeroVironment, the system can achieve an extremely low cost per engagement, at approximately $10 per shot. This capability is particularly relevant in an environment marked by the rapid proliferation of low-cost drones, as seen in conflicts and security operations in Iraq, Ukraine, and along the U.S. southern border.

On September 8, AeroVironment also announced an international order for LOCUST worth $50 million, although the customer was not identified. These developments illustrate the growing interest in directed-energy weapons as a potential response to the increasing use of low-cost UAVs in modern tactical environments. Some other US companies propose similar systems, like Raytheon’s DE M-SHORAD, combat-proven in Iraq, or Boeing’s CLWS. The US Army appears intent on rapidly strengthening its capabilities in this area.

Around the globe, only a handful of countries have acquired directed-energy weapons. The first documented use in combat involved an Israeli system designed to intercept projectiles fired by Hamas, Rafael's Iron Beam. Reports also suggest that Russia has begun deploying similar weapons, while Ukraine claims to have used its own laser system, the Tryzub. Germany, South Korea, China and the UK are all developing comparable technologies.

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