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Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

nytimes.com

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Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#61

Post by roysting »

mikkupikku wrote: post #51
einarfd wrote: post #43

Could it be that USA government believe that Iran might be trying to do something similar to the Ukraine operation spiderweb, where they attacked the Russian long distance bomber fleet with short distance FPV drones? While there aren't bombers at Fort Bliss. As far as I know there are other high value targets.

Probably the least unhinged theory in this thread, but unfortunately it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If they had intel about such a threat, they'd have to move all high value assets to another base pronto. A flight ban won't stop a shady box truck from rolling into town and releasing a swarm of small drones. (It would also be uncharacteristic of Iran to actually attack America directly, on American soil. Try to…

You may want to recalibrate things. That’s just about the most unhinged theory here. So “Iran” is just going to go “well, shucks, I guess we can’t launch our drone swarm now that they issued a TFR.”

Not even to mention you’re ignoring the TFR far outside and away from El Paso over the Potrillo volcanic mountains

Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#62

Post by lvspiff »

c420 wrote: post #54
K0balt wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably just closing the airspace for the space alien emissary.

Welcome. Tremendous to have you here. Really historic. Some people said it couldn’t happen, but I said keep an open mind, and now look. Intergalactic diplomacy. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it. We’re ready to make a deal, a fair deal, maybe the best deal in the galaxy.

If there was ever a time for a Mars Attacks style invasion it is now

Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#63

Post by lvspiff »

roysting wrote: post #61
mikkupikku wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably the least unhinged theory in this thread, but unfortunately it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If they had intel about such a threat, they'd have to move all high value assets to another base pronto. A flight ban won't stop a shady box truck from rolling into town and releasing a swarm of small drones. (It would also be uncharacteristic of Iran to actually attack America directly, on American soil. Try to…

You may want to recalibrate things. That’s just about the most unhinged theory here. So “Iran” is just going to go “well, shucks, I guess we can’t launch our drone swarm now that they issued a TFR.” Not even to mention you’re ignoring the TFR far outside and away from El Paso over the Potrillo volcanic mountains

I can hear russia/iran now “darn they thwarted our plans to take out el paso and that mountain. There are absolutely zero other targets in the vicinity we can fly to. Zero in a 100 mile radius our drone has a capability to get to within 10 days. I mean if we had 11 days sure but how do they know 10 days???”

Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#64

Post by gsk22 »

mikkupikku wrote: post #59
sph wrote: post #53

Maybe there's credible threat of MANPADs from the cartels? Wouldn't be the first time around, apparently. https://old.reddit.com/r/aviation/comments/1r1s4zt/faa_groun...

Stopping life flights though? The supposed risk of cartels shooting down a helicopter vs the immediate risk of "this guy is going to die if we don't fly him to the nearest trauma center"... That risk calculus doesn't make sense.

To be fair, risk calculus does not appear to be this administration's strong suit.

Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#65

Post by fabian2k »

There is a circular restriction around the airport and a trapezoid one next to the city (https://elpasomatters.org/2026/02/11/unexplained-faa-order-s...).

What are the plausible explanations here? I can't think of anything except military action against Mexico (or the cartels inside Mexico). But even that doesn't fit well.

A suspected terror attack could explain the airspace around the airport, but not the weird trapezoid restriction next to the city.

The duration of 10 days is also weird, that seems very long for any kind of emergency situation. And as far as I understand, it is unusual to have no exceptions at all here e.g. for medical transports via helicopter.

Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#66

Post by lvspiff »

sph wrote: post #31
KnuthIsGod wrote: post #7

Launching the invasion of Canada and Greenland perhaps..

Aren't those countries thousands of miles away from El Paso, Texas?

Well you take this sharpie and draw a line and bam direct line of attack - if it works for hurricanes it will work for war plans
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