TYB
China demonstrates AI computing power in outer space
13:37, 14-Feb-2026
China has taken a major step toward building an AI-powered space infrastructure, with a satellite constellation deploying 10 AI models in orbit and establishing inter-satellite networking.
The deployment demonstrates AI applications in deep space exploration, smart city development and natural resource surveys, according to Zhejiang Lab, which developed the constellation with global partners.
China placed 12 satellites, the first group of the space computing constellation called "Three-Body Computing Constellation," into orbit in May 2025.
After nearly nine months of in-orbit testing, the constellation has demonstrated core capabilities including networking, computing, model deployment and scientific payload verification.
Among the space-based models are an 8-billion-parameter remote sensing model and an 8-billion-parameter astronomical time-domain model. These rank among the largest parameter AI models operating in orbit globally.
In November 2025, the remote sensing model conducted an infrastructure census across 189 square kilometers in northwest China, automatically identifying stadiums and bridges despite heavy snow cover.
For astronomical research, two satellites equipped with cosmic X-ray polarization detectors deployed an AI model that rapidly classifies gamma-ray bursts in orbit with 99 percent accuracy while dramatically reducing data transmission and processing times.
The team also achieved inter-satellite links among six satellites, a crucial step toward space networking.
Once its planned 1,000-plus satellites are in orbit, the constellation will crunch 100 quintillion operations per second, according to the lab.
"With a computing constellation, part of the data can be processed in space and delivered straight to users," said Li Chao from Zhejiang Lab.
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-02-14/China-demonstrates-AI-computing-power-in-outer-space-1KKLi5q1UPe/p.html
China expands Africa space ties with new satellite ground station in Namibia
14 February 2026 02:30 AM
China has handed over a newly built satellite ground station to Namibia near the capital, Windhoek, marking another expansion of Beijing’s overseas space cooperation programme.
The facility, located at the Telecom Earth Station outside the capital, Windhoek, is expected to enable Namibia to directly receive and process remote-sensing data from satellites, including the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS-4).
The ground data receiving facility will significantly improve Namibia’s capacity to receive and process remote-sensing satellite data, according to Xinhua news agency.
The project forms part of China’s broader push to deepen partnerships across Africa by supplying satellites, laboratories and monitoring infrastructure.
Strategic timing amid shifting global influence
The development comes as the United States reduces aid engagement in parts of the continent, creating room for China to strengthen its technological footprint. Beijing says its space cooperation aims to ensure no country is left behind in the global space economy.
However, analysts note the projects also expand China’s access to global observation networks. The facilities it builds can provide satellite imagery and scientific data, while Chinese technicians often maintain a long-term operational presence.
Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, Zhao Weiping, stated that the country would fully own and operate the station independently. Chinese specialists will continue offering technical support to the 14 Namibian technicians trained under the project.
A second phase of the facility is already planned. Photos released by Xinhua show the dome-shaped structure bearing the slogan: “China Aid for Shared Future.”
https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/china-expands-africa-space-ties-with-new-satellite-ground-station-in-namibia/xkvt4z7
CSAF, CSO honor those who honor the fallen
Feb. 13, 2026
Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach hosted members of the Arlington Committee for an appreciation luncheon, Feb. 10.
For 77 years, the Arlington Committee has been attending funerals for Air Force veterans, representing the CSAF, his spouse and the entire Air Force Family at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.
With the formation of the Space Force in 2019, the committee now also represents the CSO, his spouse and the Space Force family.
"One of my priorities is taking care of Airmen and their families, and I can say that you are achieving that priority,” Wilsbach told the committee.
“By participating in the services, it helps all of us to never forget the sacrifice of our service members and their families.”
In 1948, Gladys Vandenberg, wife of the second CSAF, Gen. Hoyt Vandenberg, witnessed Airmen being buried with only a chaplain and bugler present. She vowed that “No Airman would be buried alone.”
Since the creation of the Air Force Officers’ Wives’ Club that same year, more than 600 members of this committee have attended 30,000 veteran funeral services, committing time to make sure service members receive the burial they deserve.
"Death and funerals are rarely easy,” Saltzman said. “Attending services for your loved ones is dutiful, but electing to do so for others goes beyond the call of duty.
Your presence at their services – representing not just me and General Wilsbach, but the entirety of the Air Force and Space Force family – lets them know they are not, and will never be, alone in their loss.”
The Arlington Committee now attends approximately 700 funerals a year, ensuring that the Air Force and Space Force family is always present when any Airman or Guardian is laid to rest.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4406802/csaf-cso-honor-those-who-honor-the-fallen/
USSF graduates first class from Captain’s Leadership Course
Feb. 13, 2026
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AFNS) – The U.S. Space Force graduated the inaugural class of its Captain’s Leadership Course Feb. 13 at Texas A&M University, marking another milestone in the service’s effort to develop space-focused leaders prepared for joint operations.
The four-week, in-residence course, led by Space Training and Readiness Command’s Space Delta 13, was the Space Force’s first professional military education program designed specifically for captains, independent from Air Force instruction.
The course was created to prepare company-grade officers for increased leadership responsibilities in a service focused on the space domain.
Leadership served as the foundation, with lessons integrated across disciplines to encourage reflection, application and growth. Its curriculum centered on four program learning outcomes: leadership, communication, space expertise and joint integration.
“We are laying the foundation for stronger primary military education for the Space Force,” said Capt. Jack D. Rollison, a Delta 13 Captain’s Leadership Course instructor.
“Everything we do is designed to provide experience, resources and time for reflection. The students have been eager and motivated to learn.”
Instruction was delivered by a combination of military cadre and civilian faculty from Texas A&M University, blending operational experience with academic expertise.
Courses emphasized discussion-based learning, applied exercises and collaborative dialogue, creating space for officers to examine their leadership styles and refine how they communicate in complex environments.
Capt. Alexander Arietta, an instructor with 328th Weapons Squadron, Space Delta 11, was one of 24 students and shared that the experience reinforced the importance of continuous leadership development.
“The biggest takeaway for me was the focus on growth,” Arietta said. “Leadership doesn’t have a finish line. You’re always learning, adapting and improving.”
Capt. Sydney Strickler, a weapons officer with 20th Space Surveillance Squadron, Space Delta 2, also completed the course as a student and said one of her key lessons centered on building trust within teams.
“You can have high technical trust in someone, but low emotional trust,” Strickler said. “That combination can lead to silence. The course shaped how I think about building teams where people feel comfortable speaking up.”
Both students shared that the university setting allowed them to step away from daily operational demands and focus on professional growth.
Interaction with peers from across the Space Force’s operational, intelligence, acquisition and cyber disciplines strengthened their understanding of how the service integrates capabilities within the joint force.
The partnership extended beyond the classroom, according to Rollison, noting that support from the surrounding community has been evident in everyday interactions.
“Even if you’re out in town getting your hair cut and someone asks what you do, people get excited when you tell them you’re in the U.S. Space Force,” Rollison said. “The community as a whole is welcoming.”
The graduation of the first class represents a significant step for the Space Force. The course is part of a broad effort to build education programs by Guardians, for Guardians, ensuring its leaders are prepared to lead in a contested and evolving space domain.
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4406991/ussf-graduates-first-class-from-captains-leadership-course/
Drone strikes kill two in Ukraine and Russia ahead of US-brokered peace talks in Geneva
Updated on: 14 February,2026 10:55 PM IST
Drone strikes killed one person in Ukraine and another in Russia, officials said Saturday, ahead of fresh talks next week aimed at ending the war.
An elderly woman died when a Russian drone hit a residential building in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, Ukraine's State Emergency Service said.
In Russia, a civilian was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on a car in the border region of Bryansk, regional Gov. Alexander Bogomaz said.
Russia-installed authorities said a Ukrainian airstrike on a village Saturday wounded 15 people in Ukraine's partially occupied Luhansk region.
The attacks came a day after a Ukrainian missile strike on the Russian border city of Belgorod killed two people and wounded five, according to regional Gov Vyacheslav Gladkov.
Meanwhile, another round of US-brokered talks between envoys from Russia and Ukraine will take place next week in Geneva, days ahead of the fourth anniversary of the all-out Russian invasion of its neighbour, officials in Moscow and Kyiv said on Friday.
The discussions will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's communications adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn, confirmed the new round of negotiations.
The talks take place against a backdrop of continued fighting along the roughly 1,250-kilometre front line, relentless Russian bombardment of civilian areas of Ukraine and the country's power grid, and Kyiv's almost daily long-range drone attacks on war-related assets on Russian soil.
Previous US-led efforts to find consensus on ending the war, most recently two rounds of talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, have failed to resolve difficult issues, such as the future of Ukraine's Donbas industrial heartland that is largely occupied by Russian forces.
Speaking at the annual Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Zelenskyy repeatedly thanked American and European allies for helping Ukraine by providing air defence systems that protect infrastructure like power plants and "save lives."
"Russian attacks happen almost every night in Ukraine and at least once a week, massive strikes," he said, speaking in English. "Without you Americans, Europeans, and everyone who stands with us, it would have been very, very difficult to hold on."
He reiterated his belief that security guarantees for Ukraine must come before any peace agreement with Russia.
Zelenskyy said last week that the United States has given Ukraine and Russia a June deadline to reach a deal. Previous deadlines given by US President Donald Trump have passed largely without consequence.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/2170904/russia-destroying-europe-drone-attacks-ww3
https://www.euronews.com/2026/02/14/massive-russian-drone-and-missile-attacks-kill-five-ukranians-right-before-munich-summit
https://kyivindependent.com/terrorizing-the-civilian-population-2-injured-in-russian-drone-attack-on-kyiv-oblast/
other Russia and Ukraine
https://112.ua/en/rosia-atakuvala-ukrainu-90-dronami-ppo-znisila-76-vorozih-cilej-140233
https://militarnyi.com/en/news/quantum-systems-unveils-unknown-jet-uav/
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4091247-specialists-neutralize-russian-drone-equipped-with-antitank-mines-in-poltava-region.html
https://www.gbnews.com/news/british-army-ukraine-nato-wargame-estonia
IDF Chief of Staff: Full Gaza demilitarization and Hamas disarmament still the goal
Feb 13, 2026, 8:45 PM (GMT+2)
IDF Chief of Staff, LTG Eyal Zamir, conducted a situational assessment and field tour in the Rafah area in the Gaza Strip on Friday, together with the Commander of the Southern Command, MG Yaniv Asor; the Commander of the Gaza Division, BG Barak Hiram; the Commander of the 188th Brigade; the Commander of the 7th Brigade; the Commander of the Tzanchanim Brigade; the Commander of the Southern Brigade; the Commander of the Yahalom Unit; and additional commanders.
The Chief of the General Staff toured the Rafah area following the events of the past week and instructed troops to continue operating to remove threats in the area, with an emphasis on dismantling underground terror infrastructure.
“During the war, we achieved an unprecedented accomplishment - all Hamas front-line battalions were dismantled. Hamas has been militarily defeated and all of the hostages have returned to their homes," said Zamir.
He added, “The IDF is deployed along a security border - the Yellow Line - overseeing the crossings to the Gaza Strip, and is precisely dismantling terror infrastructure in the area.
We are prepared to transition from a defensive posture to an offensive one. For any violation, we will respond and degrade their capabilities. Recently, we eliminated numerous terrorists, including senior operatives from the terrorist organizations."
“We are not relinquishing the objectives of the war - the full demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and the disarmament of Hamas," the Chief of Staff stressed.
“We are operating in accordance with the directive of the political echelon, while maintaining military plans for their defeat and we stand ready to act defensively as required. We will continue strengthening the defense of the communities of the western Negev."
“The achievements across all arenas are the result of determined combat and the bravery of IDF troops over the past two years. You, the troops and commanders, deserve the highest appreciation," Zamir told the soldiers.
Related articles:
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'Full commitment to bring him home'
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Chief of Staff examines preparedness for 'breaking event'
“There is no immunity for terrorism. What applies to terrorists in Gaza applies to the terrorists in other arenas as well.
We will continue to remain focused and remove threats, with determination and a proactive approach," he stressed.
“Over the past week, we established the 38th Division, which will enhance the IDF’s operational competence and strengthen its ground capabilities.
The war has proven the importance of divisions as the driving force of the IDF’s operational capability and as a vital component in achieving decisive defeat and victory in a prolonged multi-front war," concluded Zamir.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/422391
other Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/anti-hamas-militia-says-it-is-destroying-terror-groups-tunnels-in-gaza/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-troops-detain-two-palestinians-who-tried-to-infiltrate-west-bank-settlement-on-feb-6/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-troops-foil-another-attempt-to-smuggle-arms-by-drone-from-egypt/
https://www.jns.org/idf-chief-visits-gaza-threatens-hamas-terrorists-in-other-arenas/
https://www.jns.org/israeli-special-forces-nab-suspect-in-deadly-samaria-terror-attack/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/02/14/dual-nationals-in-service-israel/
https://caliber.az/en/post/idf-chief-says-israel-ready-to-shift-from-defence-to-offensive-ops-in-gaza
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-886585
US preparing for potential weeks-long military campaign against Iran: Report
14 February 2026 13:42 GMT | Last update: 4 hours 29 mins ago
The US military is planning for a potential sustained campaign against Iran should President Donald Trump order an attack, two senior US officials told Reuters.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, emphasised that the move could trigger a significant Iranian retaliation, risking a prolonged regional conflict which could be far more serious than previous confrontations.
They added, without providing detail, that US strikes would not just target nuclear infrastructure, but also Iranian state and security facilities. US attacks on the country last year primarily targeted nuclear sites.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran over its nuclear and ballistic missiles programmes, warning on Thursday that Tehran’s failure to reach a deal would be “very traumatic”.
In turn, Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned that they would target US military bases in the region in response to attacks.
Tensions intensified further on Friday after Trump deployed a second aircraft carrier - the world’s largest - to the Middle East.
The USS Gerald R Ford will bring thousands more US troops and firepower to the region. The US previously sent two aircraft carriers to the region ahead of its attacks on Iran last year.
Speaking to US troops on Friday at a base in North Carolina, Trump said it had "been difficult to make a deal" with Iran.
"Sometimes you have to have fear. That's the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of," Trump said.
Asked for comment on the preparations for a potentially sustained US military operation, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: "President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran."
"He listens to a variety of perspectives on any given issue, but makes the final decision based on what is best for our country and national security," Kelly said.
The deployment of the USS Gerald R Ford followed a meeting between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhu earlier this week, which a senior administration official told the Daily Mail pushed the US president to harden his position.
“Netanyahu basically said, Iran plays games. You don't want to get played. Trump listened,” the official said.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts between the two countries continue, with Iranian and US diplomats holding a round of indirect negotiations in Oman last week to discuss curbing Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missiles programmes.
Tehran stuck to its refusal to end enrichment of nuclear fuel, but both sides said they were open to further talks, with the next round scheduled next week.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-preparing-potential-weeks-long-military-campaign-against-iran-amid-ratcheting-tensions
https://www.iranintl.com/en/liveblog/202602011665
other Iran
https://www.axios.com/2026/02/14/iran-nuclear-trump-geneva-us
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202602132066
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/14/iran-us-spar-as-diaspora-organises-rallies-abroad-calling-for-action
https://modern.az/en/dunya/568647/pahlavis-call-to-the-us-intervene-militarily-in-iran/
https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-crackdown-arrests-9de7c65d17920dc43568d3f025fed2cd
https://www.defensenews.com/air/2026/02/13/us-air-force-buying-more-bunker-buster-bombs-after-iran-nuclear-strikes/
Iraq tests Chinese strike drone at Ain Al-Asad after Coalition exit
2026-02-14 04:51
The Iraqi Army conducted a live missile launch using a Chinese-made CH5 armed drone at Ain Al-Asad airbase, weeks after the facility came under full Iraqi control following the withdrawal of the US-led Coalition.
The Defense Ministry said Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah oversaw the test at the base in Al-Anbar, where the multi-role unmanned aerial vehicle fired rockets at designated targets in the Al-Tash area, achieving “high precision.”
In January, Iraqi forces finalized the transfer of former Coalition installations, including Ain Al-Asad, under a broader security transition that places key bases entirely under national administration.
The CH-5 is a Chinese medium-altitude, long-endurance armed drone reportedly acquired by Iraq to expand its unmanned aerial fleet.
According to DefenseMirror, the platform is comparable to the US-made MQ-9 Reaper, with a range exceeding 10,000 kilometers, an endurance of up to 60 hours, and a payload capacity of around three tons, allowing it to carry as many as 16 missiles.
https://shafaq.com/en/Security/Iraq-tests-Chinese-strike-drone-at-Ain-Al-Asad-after-Coalition-exit
Drone attacks surge across Sudan’s Kordofan
14 Feb 2026 13:2
A surge in drone attacks across Sudan’s Kordofan region has put civilians at growing risk, driven up casualties and displacement, damaged critical infrastructure and intensified humanitarian needs, the United Nations said on Friday, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that North Kordofan State experienced more than a dozen strikes over the past week in and around the towns of El Obeid, Bara, El Rahad and Um Rawaba.
According to OCHA, commercial vehicles, telecommunications networks and vital transport routes were hit, disrupting humanitarian operations as well as supply chains essential for delivering aid.
In South Kordofan, suspected drone attacks targeted health facilities in the state capital, Kadugli, and in the town of Kuweik. The strikes reportedly killed four medical workers and injured more than 20 people, further straining already fragile health services in the area.
The renewed violence has triggered additional displacement. More than 300 families were recently reported to have arrived in the southern town of Talodi after traveling long distances, mostly on foot.
In North Kordofan, around 800 newly displaced people reached Ar Rahad town. Meanwhile, in West Kordofan, more than 6,000 people reportedly fled to Laqawa locality, escaping insecurity in Kadugli and nearby areas.
Many of those displaced are in urgent need of shelter, food, clean water, healthcare and protection services.
OCHA said the UN and its partners continue to provide assistance where conditions allow, including food distributions in El Obeid in North Kordofan.
However, it warned that the humanitarian situation in Dilling and Kadugli is worsening. The agency stressed that rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access is critical to expand lifesaving support for affected communities.
https://news.az/news/drone-attacks-surge-across-sudans-kordofan
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/el-paso-airspace-shutdown-complexity-counter-drone-ops/
https://x.com/secduffy/status/2021594420806639787
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-seeks-urgent-answers-on-el-paso-airspace-closure
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15554045/video-mysterious-craft-El-Paso-Trump-balloon.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15557509/black-outs-Texas-El-Paso-airspace-shutdown.html
https://x.com/Truthpole/status/2021670177117470965
El Paso Airspace Shutdown Is ‘Case Study’ in Complexity of Counter-Drone Ops: Experts
Feb. 14, 2026
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies failing to coordinate properly, experts say.
The FAA ordered a 10-day shutdown of all flight traffic over El Paso after U.S. military units operating on the U.S.-Mexico border allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents to use a military laser designed for counter-drone operations, according to a report by the Associated Press confirmed by Air & Space Forces Magazine.
The shutdown wound up lasting only a few hours before airspace was reopened, but the abrupt disruption to air traffic caused confusion and panic and quickly led to lawmakers and public officials demanding answers.
Sen. Jack Reed (R.I.), the senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has called for answers, questioning whether proper safety protocols were followed, and why public communications “appear to have been inconsistent” about what occurred over El Paso.
“The airspace closure over El Paso triggered immediate chaos and confusion and cannot be dismissed as a minor misunderstanding, Reed wrote in a Feb. 11 statement.
“The conflicting accounts coming from different parts of the federal government only deepen public concern and raise serious questions about coordination and decision-making.”
U.S. officials have provided few official details about the incident except to say it involved Mexican drug cartels flying drones at the border.
Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA and the Pentagon “acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion,” according to Feb. 11 post on X.
U.S. Northern Commander’s Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot told lawmakers in March 2024 that roughly 1,000 incursions by unmanned aircraft systems occur daily along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The incident is the latest high-profile example of the threats drones—even small, cheap ones—present to the U.S. homeland.
While this threat was at the border near the Army’s Fort Bliss, the Air Force has been dealing with the issue since December 2023, when unidentified drone swarms flew unchecked over Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., for several days.
Other drone incursions followed over air bases in Ohio, Utah, and other locations, compelling the Air Force and its sister services to place a top priority on finding ways to detect, identify, track and, if necessary, bring down these small, inexpensive drones.
Last year, the Pentagon began scrambling to buy low-collateral counter-drone technology that’s safe to use near populated areas, and the Air Force and other services have been investing hundreds of millions on counter-drone weapons.
Experts that have followed the government’s counter-drone effort have warned that using such weapons will require coordination with the FAA and other agencies. Now, those same experts are cringing at the apparent lack of coordination between the Pentagon and FAA.
“In terms of interagency coordination, this is a pretty bad scenario. … There was a failure to communicate between the military, CBP—which was actually using the laser, I understand—and the FAA,” said Henry Ziemer, an associate fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “This is a case study in how not to do it.”
Zeimer, who has focused on criminal organizations in Latin America, recently wrote a CSIS commentary on the need for a “drone wall” to counter drone usage by drug cartels on the southwest border.
“Criminal organizations are nothing if not adaptable, and so when you see a crackdown in one area, like we’ve seen on sort of land crossings along the border, they adapt,” Zeimer said.
“Drones have been super useful in that regard and allow cartels to survey large stretches of the border to try and identify where the border patrol presence is and reorient their routes and figure out where to go next.”
“Most of the incursions don’t cross into U.S. airspace, but they’re hovering right just outside, observing the border patrols … and figuring out where they are,” he added.
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A key challenge of countering the drone threat over military installations has been ensuring military commanders have the proper authorities they need to bring down potentially hostile drones if necessary.
While details are still emerging, the Feb. 11 incident occurred in the area of Fort Bliss, Texas, which now sits adjacent to a new “National Defense Area” that runs between Bliss and the Southwest border for the purpose of “denying illegal activity along the southern border,” according to a May 2025 NORTHCOM announcement.
The Pentagon’s Joint Inter-Agency Task Force 401, which focuses on finding counter-drone solutions, recently published updated guidance designed to empower “installation commanders to take decisive action to protect military facilities, assets, and personnel within the homeland.”
The new guidance is designed to streamline policies for counter-drone operations under authority of U.S. law governing the protection of certain facilities and assets from drones, by providing commanders with more options such as allowing drone-defense activities to go beyond an installation’s fenceline, according to the document.
Stacie Pettyjohn, director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security, acknowledged the efforts the Pentagon has undertaken to counter drones over the U.S., but she said the incident in El Paso points to a lack of coordination and “shows how ill-prepared the U.S. Government writ large is for the small drone threat.”
“In trying to strip away some of the red tape, they’ve moved fast and haven’t necessarily ensured that the level of coordination that’s needed for some of these weapons to be employed,” Pettyjohn said, adding that she questions the decision to allow CBP members to employ counter-drone laser near a heavily traveled air corridor.
“Can you imagine if a laser hit a civilian airliner?” said Pettyjohn, who recently co-authored a CNAS report on protecting the joint force in the drone age. “It’s not just that the laser would damage an aircraft, it could blind the pilots and just cause an accident.”
It’s still unclear what laser technology was used in the El Paso drone incident. Reuters reported that the Army had deployed AeroVironment Inc’s LOCUST laser counter-drone weapon system near El Paso International Airport.
AeroVironment delivered two Joint Light Tactical Vehicle equipped with 20 kilowatt laser systems to the Army in December as part of the second increment of the Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser prototyping effort.
The Army has conducted numerous tests of its Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense, or DE M-SHORAD, that’s equipped with a 50-kilowatt laser for counter-drone operations.
Air & Space Forces Magazine reached out to the Pentagon and NORTHCOM for this story. NORTHCOM deferred to the Pentagon, which did not respond to the query by press time.
Pettyjohn questions the amount of training CBP members received before being cleared to use such as weapon. Military air defense units have “deep expertise” in the capabilities of counter-drone laser weapons, which has come through years of testing, she said.
“I think this does highlight the risks of transferring advanced weapons system to Customs and Border Pretection agents, who are not trained on it necessarily and might not be as aware of some of the potential risks of employing these,” Pettyjohn said.
Pettyjohn said she thinks it’s appropriate for Pentagon officials to accept risk in trying to change some of the restrictions on using counter-drone systems in the U.S., “but they’re accepting a lot of risk by transferring them to someone else to use.”
“I think this does highlight questions about the appropriate roles of missions between the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon for this … and I think there needs to be clear guardrails for employing different types of counter-drone defeat systems in the U.S.,” Pettyjohn said.
“Is the laser the appropriate system to be using on the border or for a base? I think there are questions about that and so, and if they are going to employ it, they need to make sure that they do so safely and deconflict with commercial traffic.”
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Whistleblowers forcing military to release genuine UFO evidence in 2026
11:00 ET, Sat, Feb 14, 2026
There's growing buzz among insiders that the United States might unveil legitimate evidence regarding UFOs in 2026.
Recent reports suggest that mounting pressure from whistleblowers, political entities, and new legislation are all pointing towards a significant disclosure about how the White House has been archiving information related to unidentified crafts.
Experts who spoke with the Daily Mail suggest that the number of military and intelligence personnel ready to testify publicly has reached a point where maintaining secrecy may no longer be feasible, reports Daily Express UK.
The momentum increased following the November 2025 premiere of The Age of Disclosure, a documentary featuring 34 current and former U.S. government, military, and intelligence personnel alleging a decades-long cover-up.
Director Dan Farah has said that the film put the issue directly on President Donald Trump's desk, reinforcing his longstanding pledge to declassify what the government knows about unexplained aerial phenomena.
Maintaining secrecy about UFOs may no longer be feasible
The U.S. Congress has also stepped in. The fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act requires new briefings on UAP incidents dating back to 2004 and calls for an investigation into whether crucial material has been overly classified or withheld from lawmakers.
Filmmaker and researcher Mark Christopher Lee believes this convergence of pressures makes the upcoming year unparalleled.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, he identified 2026 as a pivotal year, citing "escalating congressional momentum, whistleblower activity, and cultural shifts that are building unstoppable pressure on government secrecy."
Lee went on to note that recent legislative measures are intensifying this pressure.
"The fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act includes key provisions mandating the Pentagon's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office to brief Congress on UAP intercepts since 2004, review over-classification of related data, and streamline reporting," he explained.
"The legislative push is intensifying."
Lee stressed that whether meaningful disclosures emerge depends on political will:
"With ongoing efforts like the proposed UAP Disclosure Act amendments and whistleblowers such as David Grusch continuing to advise congressional caucuses into 2026, the legislative push is intensifying."
In The Age of Disclosure, Secretary of State Marco Rubio remarked: "We've had repeated instances of something operating in the airspace over restricted nuclear facilities - and it's not ours."
Rubio further suggested that presidents have "been operating on a need-to-know basis" concerning such occurrences.
The possible ramifications of such a revelation are now being taken seriously on the international stage. Helen McCaw, a former analyst for the Bank of England, has warned The Times that such a disclosure could trigger financial instability.
"The United States government appears to be partway through a multi-year process to declassify and disclose information on the existence of a technologically advanced non-human intelligence responsible for Unomidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs)," she wrote.
"We may have to acknowledge the existence of a power or intelligence greater than any government."
McCaw warned that "UAP disclosure is likely to induce ontological shock," further noting: "There might be extreme price volatility in financial markets due to catastrophising or euphoria."
https://www.the-express.com/news/us-news/199038/pentagon-ufo-disclosure-set-for-2026
https://x.com/The_King_Of_UFO
CLASSIFIED: Texas Sen. Cornyn’s "seen some” laser tech used in El Paso; mum on specifics
Feb 13, 2026
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) — Member, Senate Intelligence Committee
Ask a Pol asks:
Are you satisfied with what you’ve been told by the Trump administration about this week’s El Paso airport fiasco — with the FAA initially shuttering it for 10 days, before reopening it mere hours later — and reports the Pentagon deployed new anti-”drone”laser technology?
Key Cornyn:
“Laser beams? Okay. What about em?” Sen. John Cornyn exclusively tells Ask a Pol UAP.
“I’d like to get more information, but, basically, it sounds like there was counter-drone activity, and FAA didn’t feel like they had enough information about that, so they shut things down.”
Caught our ear:
Do you know if the Pentagon’s lasers melt “drones” or do they incapacitate their tech?
“I think that’s classified,” Cornyn tells us.
New Jersey US Senator: El Paso "needs…answers" FAA’s refused his state after UAP swarms
Feb 14, 2026
Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ)
Ask a Pol asked:
So you — New Jersey residents (AskaARCHIVES: Guess we got NJ’s new governor, Mikie Sherrill on the record last year on the UAP swarms over her state), Senator Cory Booker and local officials back home — never got answers on the “drones” over Jersey, but now we’ve got lasers shooting “drones” out of the sky in El Paso?
Key Kim:
“I don’t know what is going on right now,” Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) tells Ask a Pol.
Does this raise more questions for FAA and Pentagon officials?
“Look, I’ve been pressing our government writ large in terms of just our ability to detect drones, be able to distinguish them from other aircraft and think through counter-drones," Kim says.
"So I’m just only getting the headlines in terms of what we’re hearing. We’ll get some more details.”
Caught our ear:
“People need to have answers to this,” Kim exclusively tells us.
“This type of just, you know, spontaneous announcement — of what, 10 days, you know? — I mean, it was just, however, they managed this was completely wrong. It created a lot of panic.”
https://www.askapoluaps.com/p/cornyns-seen-some-lasers
https://www.askapoluaps.com/p/el-paso-needs-answers-nj-never-got
https://x.com/AskaPol_UAPs
https://x.com/MattLaslo
Journey to Truth Podcast #410 | ALL REVEALED! | DISCLOSURE JUST WENT INTO OVERDRIVE | Down the Epstein File Rabbit Hole
Feb 14, 2026
and other Epstein stuff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c7bBr0R5Zk
https://x.com/JourneytoTruth5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox0wAzVepbM (Atlantis? Epstein Files mention underwater Cuba Pyramids & Intelligent Beings - Psicoactivo #851)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qShfIrCBPIc (Vetted: This Video Will Probably Get Taken Down (Epstein))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPJleLFonx8 (Pizzagate is Confirmed! It's worse than we ever imagined w Ben Swann | Redacted News)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMSWi6IbhZw (Ben Swann: Is Jeffery Epstein eating human flesh and calling it "Jerky")
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5735449-mace-shocked-epstein-files-names/amp/
https://x.com/RedPandaKoala/status/2022478272328769835
https://x.com/StefanBurnsGeo/status/2021954528254554161
https://x.com/DMtruthofficial/status/2022077675473711584
https://x.com/DMtruthofficial/status/2021977685908410757
KERRY L CASSIDY reposted
Jessie2
@Jessies_Too
BUSTED: Human flesh is being sold in the United States!!
The FBI says the Biological Resource
Center was running a "Chop House" for
human body parts in Phoenix AZ !!
The FBI described the gnarly scene upon
entering 👇👇 Families of these donated
cadavers thought they were donating
their loved ones for medical science!!
Instead, they were being sold piece by
piece!! 😱😭
Quote
𝓡𝓮𝓹. 𝓐𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓪𝓻 ⁖ ⭐
@alencarr56
Feb 12
Translated from Portuguese
Human FLESH TRADE was busted in the United States. This WORLD needs to be RESET.
Last edited 7:33 AM · Feb 13, 2026
https://x.com/Jessies_Too/status/2022333258285871246
https://www.abc15.com/news/crime/fbi-shines-light-on-now-shut-down-human-chop-shop-in-phoenix
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/crime/2019/07/26/fbi-investigation-human-chop-shop/4601072007/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbM6WbUw7Bs
did they know Butcher Pete?