Chinese navy ship fired laser at patrol plane, says Australia’s defence department
India Today
The Australian Defence Department said that a Chinese navy ship fired a laser at one of its surveillance aircraft on Thursday, putting the lives of the crew in danger.
The Australian Defence Department said that a Chinese navy ship fired a laser at one of its surveillance aircraft, putting the lives of the crew in danger.
The incident happened on Thursday when the P-8A Poseidon plane detected a laser illuminating the aircraft while in flight over Australia’s northern approaches, the department said.
Such episodes are not uncommon as the US and its allies accuse China of asserting its military might, and have taken steps to challenge Beijing’s growing clout in the western Pacific and elsewhere.
The department said in a statement Saturday that the laser came from a People’s Liberation Army Navy vessel. It was accompanying another Chinese ship that transited through the Torres Strait. Both ships were now in the Coral Sea, east of Australia, it said.
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“Illumination of the aircraft by the Chinese vessel is a serious safety incident,” the Defence Department said. “We strongly condemn unprofessional and unsafe military conduct. These actions could have endangered the safety and lives of the ADF personnel.”
Lasers present a serious problem because when aimed at aircraft they can injure pilots or temporarily blind them -- which can present safety risks particularly as they are taking off and landing.
