Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a serious federal crime in the United States—but thousands of incidents are reported per year anyway.
This may be the “Season of Light,” but not in the way that some United States Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots might like. On at least three occasions, the multirole aircraft came under “laser attacks” when approaching a NATO air base in Germany this month. Two of the incidents reportedly occurred on December 2, which was followed by a third on December 9 at Spangdahlem Air Base.
German authorities have since launched an investigation into the laser beam attacks, which employed a “blue laser” aimed at the F-16s when the aircraft were several kilometers from the base and near the city of Trier.
“Such laser attacks can cause severe impairment, temporary visual disturbances, or eye injuries to pilots and therefore pose a high risk,” Trier police said in a statement released on Friday, per Newsweek.
US Air Force aircrews are now issued with eye protection due to the threat from lasers.
“Our pilots are well-trained for these scenarios and report the laser source’s location to the U.S. law enforcement and German police, with whom we are fully cooperating,” Master Sgt. Alex Riedel, a spokesperson for the 52nd Wing, said in comments reported by Stars and Stripes on Friday. “Further details are pending investigation.”
It’s Extremely Dangerous to Point a Laser at a Plane
All of the pilots landed safely, but it is a reminder of the potential dangers. High-powered beams can temporarily blind pilots and even cause permanent eye damage. In the United States, pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime, punishable by a hefty Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) fine of up to $32,000 and up to five years in prison.
Despite the threat of fines, thousands of incidents are reported annually. For 2024, the FAA reported 12,840 laser strikes. As the FAA only has jurisdiction within the United States, those numbers do not include incidents affecting US aircraft abroad, such as the three in Germany this month.
To date, lasers haven’t caused any confirmed crashes, but an injury was reported to a member of the crew of a Lockheed C-130 Hercules in New Mexico in May 2024, near Albuquerque.
Paranoid Americans Are Attacking “Drones” with Lasers
Officials at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, confirmed that there had been 15 laser attacks on US aircraft in 10 days in December 2024. Most of those laser strikes were carried out by people on the ground who believed they had spotted an unmanned aerial system (UAS) or drone rather than a manned aircraft.
Pointing a laser at a drone is also illegal in the United States, as it can damage the drone’s camera sensors and internal wiring, potentially causing a crash.
The issue has continued this year, with Border Patrol aircraft targeted multiple times.
“Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft in flight could be catastrophic for an affected aircrew and possibly for people on the ground,” the US Air Force explained on its website.
The issue has also continued in Europe, with the three incidents this month just being the latest in a string of missile attacks. Royal Air Force aircraft were hit by lasers aimed from a Russian research/spy ship in November, and in late 2023, there was another wave of laser attacks carried out near the Aviano Air Base in Italy.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock / Karl Weller.
