The Pentagon has authorized the Department of Homeland Security to test a powerful military-developed heat-ray system for possible use along the southern border, expanding the range of technologies being evaluated for federal border security operations.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the arrangement through a memorandum signed in September, according to an October 21 CNN investigation.
The system, officially known as the Active Denial System, or ADS, is a directed-energy weapon developed by the U.S. military.
Unlike conventional weapons that fire bullets or other physical projectiles, the system transmits a focused beam of electromagnetic energy toward a targeted area.
The beam rapidly heats the outermost layer of human skin, producing an intense burning sensation that encourages individuals to move away.
Military developers designed the technology as a nonlethal alternative for situations involving crowd control, perimeter security, and other defensive operations.
The Pentagon’s authorization allows DHS to borrow the equipment for seven months while evaluating how it could potentially be used in border operations.
According to the memorandum obtained by CNN, Homeland Security is responsible for developing tactics and procedures associated with the system.
The arrangement does not itself establish that federal agents will deploy the device operationally against individuals attempting to cross the border.
Instead, it permits the department to test the equipment and assess whether it could serve a practical role in its enforcement activities.
The system uses millimeter-wave electromagnetic energy, which penetrates only a very shallow depth into human skin.
Military documentation describes the penetration depth as approximately one sixty-fourth of an inch.
The technology is designed to create a painful sensation without causing the deeper injuries associated with many conventional weapons.
However, the system is not incapable of causing injury. Documented testing incidents have resulted in second-degree burns, making exposure limits and safe operating procedures important considerations.
The weapon has been evaluated for military applications for decades.
Previous testing examined whether the technology could disperse crowds or deter individuals approaching secured facilities.
The military also deployed the system briefly to Afghanistan, although it was not used in active combat operations.
Federal officials have considered its possible application to border security before.
During Trump’s first term, Customs and Border Protection explored whether directed-energy systems might be useful in locations experiencing large concentrations of unauthorized crossings.
The system was not ultimately deployed for that purpose.
The latest Pentagon authorization reopens the possibility of evaluating the technology under the current administration.
The Active Denial System is capable of projecting its energy beam over considerable distances, with reported operating ranges approaching 1,000 meters under certain conditions.
That capability distinguishes it from many conventional close-range crowd-control devices.
The equipment can be mounted on specialized vehicles, allowing operators to position the system for controlled testing.
The Department of Homeland Security has not publicly identified specific border locations where the technology might be evaluated.
Customs and Border Protection acknowledged its continuing interest in assessing new security equipment.
A CBP spokesperson told CNN, “CBP is continually evaluating new technologies, especially those that enhance operational effectiveness and strengthen mission capabilities.”
The agency also emphasized the potential importance of technologies that can improve national security while reducing the likelihood of fatal encounters.
The seven-month equipment loan gives DHS an opportunity to examine operational feasibility, technical limitations, safety procedures, and the conditions under which the system might be considered.
At the conclusion of that period, DHS could request additional access to the technology if officials determine that further evaluation is necessary.
Any decision to use the equipment in active border operations would involve questions about training, safety, rules governing force, and legal authorization.
The current agreement is therefore an evaluation step rather than confirmation of an approved border deployment.
The Pentagon’s decision nevertheless demonstrates that federal officials are examining additional military-developed technologies for possible law enforcement applications.
It also reflects the administration’s emphasis on expanding the tools available to agencies charged with enforcing federal immigration and border security laws.
Whether the heat-ray system ultimately becomes part of operational border security will depend on testing results, agency decisions, and applicable legal requirements.
