US Defense Secretary authorizes border testing of military heat ray
Published 1d ago · Latest report 19h ago · Policy change
Affects United States and Mexico · Covered in 2 countries
The US military approved testing a non-lethal heat ray weapon for potential deployment at the southern border.
The US defense secretary has signed a directive permitting the Department of Homeland Security to test a military-grade heat ray device at the southern border. The Active Denial System projects an invisible energy beam that creates an overwhelming sensation of intense surface heat. Officials previously declined to deploy the controversial non-lethal weapon during earlier operational reviews.
- The weaponThe Active Denial System projects a millimeter-wave energy beam designed to force individuals to flee by producing intolerable skin heat.
- The decisionDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the testing authorization via a memo signed last month.
- Previous usePast administrations and military officials evaluated the device but ultimately declined to field it in operational settings.
Written from 2 of 3 outlets — 1 has since joined this story.
1 new report since this summary was written 21h ago
Not in the AI summary yet. It is rewritten once enough new coverage arrives.
Why it matters
The southern border has long served as a testing ground for experimental surveillance and security technologies. Non-lethal crowd-control weapons developed for military battlefields often spark intense legal and ethical debates when considered for domestic law enforcement.
Timeline2
- 2009A National Defense University case study described the operational effects of the Active Denial System energy weapon.
- Sep 2026Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to test the heat ray.
How outlets cover it
What outlets agree on
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo permitting the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate the Active Denial System, a directed-energy weapon that generates intense skin heat.
In this story
Covered by 3 outlets
67% of the sources are Left
Lean ratings via Media Bias/Fact Check, AllSides
- The HillAfter summaryMullin on heat ray weapon: 'We're always evaluating technology on the border'19h ago · open ↗
- The GuardianPete Hegseth reportedly authorizes DHS to test ‘heat ray’ at US-Mexico border22h ago · open ↗
- The IndependentPete Hegseth signs off testing for new military weapon other American officials passed on1d ago · open ↗
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The headline, summary and key points are AI-generated from the sources above.
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