Fort Bliss Named Among 5 Bases For New Drone Program

Fort Bliss has been named as 1 of 5 US military bases that will be home to a new counter drone program.

I know what you're thinking - for the benefit of air travelers everywhere, please let this new operation be able to tell a party balloon from a cartel drone.

Nobody wants to go through that again ...

Fingers crossed. I'm pretty sure they, and everybody else involved in that fiasco, learned a thing or two from that. The 5 bases chosen were Fort Huachuca in Arizona, Fort Bliss in Texas, Naval Base Kitsap in Washington, Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

Directed Energy Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot Program

That's the long, fancy - pants name for this new program. "Directed Energy" basically means "laser".

According to officials, the program will advance the fielding and testing of directed energy capabilities to protect infrastructure, military installations and homeland missions.

"Countering unlawful and adversarial drone activity is a homeland defense imperative," said Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, Joint Interagency Task Force 401 director. "There is no 'silver bullet' to address this challenge, and this pilot program integrates cutting-edge technology into the department's broader counter-drone toolkit." - KVIA

Is it just me, or does that thing look kinda like Wall - E?

Is Directed Energy Whatever Safe?

According to an article by our news partners at KVIA, officials say the new tech being tested with this program "disrupts and defeats" illegal or attack drones with little risk to anyone or anything else around. 915, your party balloons should be ok.

READ MORE: El Paso Police Have A Bunch Of Drones 

White Sands Missile Range recently did something similar, ensuring that the program isn't a threat to normal aircraft.

Real quick though, for whoever needs to know:

This is a drone.

This is not a drone

Thank you, on behalf of anyone and everyone counting on a smooth, uninterrupted flight, for your kind attention to the above matter. Feel free to print this and hang it near your work station for future reference. You're welcome.