Operation High Eagle: Combatting Cartel Drones at the Mexico-U.S. border

At the border between Tijuana, Baja California, and San Diego, California, anti-drone operations are being carried out under Operation Águila Alta (High Eagle). This bilateral operation between the U.S. and Mexico is operating within the Mexico-US Bilateral Implementation Group, as Armed Forces from both countries simultaneously conduct reconnaissance.

Operation Águila Alta (High Eagle) intends to create a “safer border through the detection and disablement of commercial drones that are used by criminals at the common border to watch authorities during the trafficking of people and drugs,” as per Defensa. The first stage of its operations has been completed, and the second stage is currently underway.

Prior to the announcement of Operation Águila Alta, USNORTHCOM stated that “JTF-SB defeated more than 300 UAS this calendar year employing kinetic and non-kinetic systems, with more than 100 defeats occurring in the month of August.”

As cartels and other criminal groups continue to advance their proliferation of drones/UAVs, states must adapt their strategies to counter ever-evolving threats. Operation Águila Alta’S launch highlights the importance of bilateral coordination, technological adaptation, and integrated counter-drone capabilities in addressing the increasing use of commercial drones for criminal surveillance and cross-border trafficking.