378 Cartel Drones in 30 Days, 11 Downed by Laser: Army Tests Anduril’s Ghost-X and a ‘Bullfrog’ Automated Machine Gun Near Yuma, Arizona
The U.S. military detected 378 cartel drone incursions over the southern border in 30 days, and the number is rising, a general at Joint Task Force-Southern Border told reporters. Reuters reported on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, that the Army is now testing interceptor drones, radars and an automated machine gun called the “Bullfrog” near Yuma, Arizona, to shoot them down.
What the Army tested at Yuma
According to Reuters, defense firms showed their systems to soldiers in September at Falcon Peak, a U.S. Northern Command exercise at Yuma Proving Ground. The equipment was built to detect, track and destroy small drones. Reuters listed:
- Anduril’s Ghost drone;
- a radar-and-camera detection system from Teledyne FLIR;
- the “Bullfrog” automated counter-drone machine gun from Allen Control Systems;
- an interceptor drone sold by Powerus. Reuters noted the company went public on Thursday by merging with a company backed by sons of President Donald Trump.
Reuters also reported that the U.S. military said earlier this month it had brought down 11 cartel drones with lasers since it began using them on the border in August.
What the cartel drones are doing
Brig. Gen. Brian Filler, deputy commander for operations at the task force, said the drones are “largely commercial off-the-shelf.” Most carry surveillance cameras and are often seen alongside people or loads crossing the border, he said. Army officials told Reuters that criminals use them for surveillance tied to smuggling and human trafficking. They also said the cartel drones are not comparable to the advanced military drones flying in Ukraine or the Middle East. Still, they described the border as a useful real-world place to test equipment and train soldiers.
“We tend to look at Ukraine and we say, ‘I am so impressed with how quickly they can adapt on a daily or weekly basis,'” Brig. Gen. Matt Ross told reporters. “What we should really do is replicate that process.”
Reuters’ video report from the exercise:
How this fits earlier figures
Our Sept. 26 report also covered the 378-incursion figure and the Falcon Peak testing near Yuma. It cited the task force as saying it had taken out more than 300 drones since early 2026 by all methods. The figure of 11 that Reuters reported counts laser shoot-downs only. For crossing conditions in the area, see our San Luis–Yuma safety page.
Sources
- Reuters (Mike Blake), “US Army tests counter-drone tech at Mexican border as cartel drone use rises,” via Military Times, Oct. 5, 2026
- Video: Reuters on YouTube
- Photos: Mike Blake/Reuters, via Military Times
Reported Oct. 5, 2026, from the Reuters story above. Reuters did not say which cartels flew the drones or which of the tested systems the Army plans to buy.