Chinese warship fired laser at US aircraft

US, (Daily Mail), 28 February 2020-   A Chinese Navy ship fired a laser at a U.S. surveillance aircraft flying over the Philippine Sea west of Guam, in an act that has been labelled ‘unsafe and unprofessional’.  

The Navy confirmed the incident more than a week after it happened about 380 miles west of Guam. It’s not clear exactly which day the incident took place.  It said the People’s Republic of China naval destroyer lased the American P-8A Poseidon aircraft in an act the U.S. deemed unsafe and a violation of international codes and agreements.  

The statement from U.S. Pacific Fleet said the laser was detected by sensors on the aircraft, but was not visible to the naked eye.  Military-grade laser beams can omit a powerful beam of light that has the ability to temporarily blind pilots.   

Defence officials have since said that formal diplomatic protests known as demarche is expected to be issued, according to CNN.