U.S. Military Shoots Down CBP Drone

Conrad

Conrad

Well-Known Member

Accident General Atomics MQ-9 ? , Thursday 26 February 2026

The Department of War reports that it engaged a
aviation-safety.net

The Department of War reports that it engaged a "seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace,” which turned out to be a CBP Drone. CBP uses MQ-9A-1 and MQ-9B Predator drones.

The New York Times reported that “the Defense Department used a high-energy laser” to shoot down the CBP drone.
 
Looking through some photos, these CBP drones do not appear to have N-registrations. They do have BuNo/Serial numbers on the fin.

Not sure if I hope the ADS-B transponder was on or off just yet…
 
Conrad said:

Accident General Atomics MQ-9 ? , Thursday 26 February 2026

The Department of War reports that it engaged a
aviation-safety.net

The Department of War reports that it engaged a "seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace,” which turned out to be a CBP Drone. CBP uses MQ-9A-1 and MQ-9B Predator drones.

The New York Times reported that “the Defense Department used a high-energy laser” to shoot down the CBP drone.
Click to expand...

I mean, I really have had a pretty damned good chuckle over this.
 
Image.jpeg
Listen, you nerds! This is the Department of War! And we'll shoot down whatever the hell we want!
 
It didn’t comply with level 1 (establish communications immediately). and ignored the level 2. (Intentions unclear, alter course immediately or be subject to defensive measures) , so of course I shot it down.
 
It looks like this became a known downing because of statements from House members on the respective Transportation and Infrastructure and Homeland Security committees, followed by a statement from the DoD.

Road Rules is currently saying “I was gonna tell y’all on Friday and it was not an accident.”

I wonder how many other non-notified drone shoot downs have already occurred with this cowboy •.
 
Minuteman said:
It looks like this became a known downing because of statements from House members on the respective Transportation and Infrastructure and Homeland Security committees, followed by a statement from the DoD.

Road Rules is currently saying “I was gonna tell y’all on Friday and it was not an accident.”

I wonder how many other non-notified drone shoot downs have already occurred with this cowboy •.
Click to expand...
Not an accident, so it was intentional & authorized? If so, the turf wars in D.C. are getting real. The Reich Ministers take things seriously…
 
Minuteman said:
It looks like this became a known downing because of statements from House members on the respective Transportation and Infrastructure and Homeland Security committees, followed by a statement from the DoD.

Road Rules is currently saying “I was gonna tell y’all on Friday and it was not an accident.”

I wonder how many other non-notified drone shoot downs have already occurred with this cowboy •.
Click to expand...

Ahh I bet “Road Rules” is in a panic because he “banned” DEI but the neckbeards just saw another (fully qualified, met and exceeded PTS standards) FEEEEmale pilot at the airport!
 
Reporting indicates the CBP aircraft was an MQ-9. That’s a turboprop that cruises around 170-200 knots and can get up to 50,000 ft. I don’t know what a typical CBP MQ-9 mission profile looks like; probably max-endurance.

Wikipedia tells me each unit costs $34MM (approx. 1/3rd of one of Noem’s new Gulfstreams). In foreign order deals the per-unit cost was above $100MM each, but I assume that includes one of those extended warranties I hear about.
 
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