Pentagon authorizes DHS to test military-grade heat ray for potential use at US-Mexico border

Summary

The Pentagon has authorized the Department of Homeland Security to test a military-grade heat ray, the Active Denial System, for potential use at the US-Mexico border. According to Hindustan Times, a Pentagon memo lets DHS borrow the system for seven months beginning in September and develop potential border-use tactics. According to The Guardian, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly signed the memo last month, permitting DHS to test the non-lethal weapon for potential use at the southern border. The Guardian describes the system as shooting an energy beam that causes a sensation of intense heat on the surface of the skin, citing a 2009 National Defense University case study.

Timeline

1. Hindustan Times

   22 Oct 2026, 06:30 UTCSource ↗

   Hindustan Times reports that a Pentagon memo authorizes DHS to borrow a military heat-ray system for seven months beginning in September and develop potential border-use tactics.

2. The Guardian

   22 Oct 2026, 15:40 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly signed a memo last month permitting DHS to test a non-lethal heat ray, the Active Denial System, for potential use at the US southern border.