The United States Air Force has issued a warning to the public in the United Kingdom about the risks and legal consequences of pointing laser pointers at military aircraft.
The notice comes from the 48th Fighter Wing, based at Royal Air Force Lakenheath in Suffolk, where there have been several worrying incidents.
The phenomenon, known as “lasing,” has been on the rise, with individuals targeting aircraft during critical phases of flight. This act not only poses a significant danger to the safety of the flight crews but also jeopardizes the well-being of individuals on the ground.
“Lasing” can cause temporary blindness and, in some cases, more permanent eye damage to pilots. This is particularly hazardous during takeoff and landing, where pilot visibility is paramount. Moreover, the distraction and potential disorientation of pilots could have catastrophic consequences, especially when flying at lower altitudes over populated areas.
The 48th Fighter Wing’s public affairs office stated that these actions could have severe legal repercussions. In an effort to deter such behaviours, they highlighted that offenders might face stringent penalties under the Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Bill, reflecting the gravity of these offences.
//For Immediate release// Public Warned Against the Dangers of Lasing Fighter Aircraft in Flight pic.twitter.com/BV4wAYZoN1
— RAF Lakenheath (@48FighterWing) January 25, 2024
The base is home to the United States Air Force’s only F-15 fighter wing in Europe.
Lock the bar stewards up and make them work for their keep.
They are best to take them into custody themselves and ask for extradition to the USA for offenders.
Plod is pretty useless these days and some chill in a US prison might work as a deterrent especially if charged with (1st Degree) Attempted Manslaughter.
Very interesting option. We’re not talking many members of the, err, British public – & certainly none that would be in any way lamented, whether that’s ‘late’ or otherwise.
It’s a shame it doesn’t work out the other way around so easily.
You’ve noticed. No I.R.A.-S.F. suspect was ever extradited from the U.S. to face the courts in the U.K.
This ‘warning’ is curious. The correct channel has been through the British authorities and then communicated on to the U.K. police. The U.S.A. is one of only two countries I know of that apply the concept of universal jurisdiction – that is legal powers around the world. The other is the Islamic Republic of Iran.
This idiocy is gaining ground and has to be met with effective policing.
They do communicate it through the UK police. This is literally a warning that a laser event could cause a plane on approach to crash into a neighborhood. It’s not warning or threatening any arrest by US officials.
No foreign power can ‘communicate through the police’ to any sovereign people. The police in any country are responsible to elected officials at the local and national level, ultimately in the U.K. the Home Secretary. It is unprecedented in my life time for a foreign power to issue a warning, for that is what it is, to the British public on British soil. The channels for legal disputes are set by treaty: U.S. service personnel cannot be tried in a British court in any circumstance as we have seen recently, for example. No country, certainly not the United States, would ever give up sovereignty over its own people in this way (e.g. the Falklands). This warning notice issued by the U.S.A.F. is in my view silly not sinister. They should know how this is done.
People shining lasers at aircraft are a serious menace. One question I would put to the U.K. authorities would be ‘Who puts such devices on the market for anyone to purchase?’ I can think of no reason why these very powerful devices are generally available.
Strangely enough being a regular user of YouTube these days many of the ads just love to try to sell you ‘US military originating’ optics, torches so powerful they are capable of setting everything on fire and of course laser derived products. Of course they are possibly from anywhere in reality simply exploiting such memes but plenty of US. citizens are happy to voice them (even if increasingly it’s AI created voices now) US owned businesses selling them & US authorities seem more than happy to allow US entities to promote them endlessly so maybe a little looking in the mirror is required too.
I agree, it is curious and coming close in time to other US comments about the size of the RN and army suggests the US is providing ammunition to those striving for a significant increase in defence spending.
I think it more likely a laziness on the part of a local commander; on Pacific islands this might be the norm dealing with ‘the natives’. The bases on British soil are designed to be a close to ‘home’ as possible. Perhaps that is the reason for this intervention.
Most things only work one way with the US…
It’s not a crime happening on U.S. soil, so no you cannot extradite….it’s our problem and our legal system.
That hapless idiot from WikiLeaks didn’t execute a crime on US soil and is up for extradition. So perhaps if you execute crime against a the state, like hacking or targeting its military that could be grounds for extradition.
In fact a quick google shows a few cases where people outside of the US have been charged with hacking.
In those cases the crime happened on US soil..it’s just the perpetrator was in another county while they committed the crime..it’s sort of like the virtual verson of throwing a petrol bomb over a boarder. Basically with hacking the crime is considered done in the county the system you hacked is…basically if it’s a county without an extradition treaty you can hack with impunity as it’s not a crime committed in your own county.
In the case of wikileaks they received the data they never hacked the servers. So no crime was committed on US soil or servers. If you down a US F35 that’s a asset of the US government so effectively you have attacked the US. If a RAF Typhoon was downed flying from a allied base due the pilot being blinded deliberately, would you consider it an attack on the UK or a civilian incident that should be dealt with locally?
Actually they did charge Assange with hacking crimes…they went for the extradition on the charges of conspiracy to committee computer intrusion….it stands on that fact he was in real time communicating with Manning at the point the intrusion was taking place…basically supporting manning with the hacking and so part of the hacking team….
Yes that was my first thought. But the difference (in general not claiming B&W seriousness will no doubt overall any actual local ‘law’ where US is concerned) is that if the offence is digital then it is argued that it at some point sat on US servers or telecommunication systems and thus becomes subject to US Law. Additionally with WikiLeaks much of the information was taken from US sources many top secret so wherever those responsible operate they are in US eyes subject to US law and thus will be requested for extradition. They have charged under similar circumstances Chinese and Russian citizens who have committed spying for example from third Countries or who have never been to the US, Russia and China are doing similar things of course.
The difference here of course is that it’s a physical offence on foreign soil. The only overlap might theoretically be buying the device online via US servers but as I note in another post the US has no problem in not restricting any online sale of these devices even when under ostensibly US online control so not sure how that case could be argued. But hey this is the US we are talking about and if someone used such a device to kill US citizens who knows how much any lawful logic might apply when countries like Britain are desperate to keep the mythical ‘special relationship’ in being esp if dealing with a personality like Trump. The greater good and all that. But hopefully that is still a dystopian take, emphasis on hopefully.
I was thinking along the lines if blinding a pilot resulted in a downed US asset which belongs to the state, so similar to someone attack US servers your target something owned by the US government servers, data or a F35.
Laser seeking ordinance might act as a deterrent 😈
My thoughts exactly. To be honest why stop there? We should fit police helicopters with inert hellfires, fantastic way to stop a pursuit without risking collateral damage. Hopefully would reduce the number of subhumans presented to our courts for a cuddle and sympathy before being let loose to carry on as they were.
Maybe fire off a missile here and there at the culprits… accidentally of course. Should square the &*(%$£” off!
😂😅😆 Now now 😂
… only to find out they are Houthis 😱
Drop a JDAM on them
The way as I see things is most of the problems that we are currently facing is due to years of demands by political pressure groups for lesser punishments has resulted in people feeling that they can quite literally get away with murder. There was a case a few years back where a woman with mental health issues murdered her mother, she was banged up in Broadmoor, some expert decided she was healed and back on the streets she murdered a complete stranger when she beheaded her.
Plenty of stories about people who have stolen 100s of thousands, receiving a suspended sentence, why after COVID we heard billions had been stolen and the Chancellor (Now the PM) refused to chase down those crooks. Things aren’t helped by how the guilty always see themselves as the victims All of the above are reinforced by a very poor police force which on a daily basis sets new standards in incompetence all of which sends the message to everybody that crime does in fact pay, because the law is an ass. (Just read how the bloke who murdered 3 people in Nottingham, had actually been on the Police wanted list for the 9 months previous to his evil attack)
There was a story yesterday about how a Nigerian pastor (based in the UK) who carried out mass fraud and who received a suspended sentence last Feb has had his charity status taken away by the charity commission. Only took them a year to do so.
And then we wonder why idiots feel empowered to shine lasers at aircraft.
As i stated the British CPS is a joke. There was a case a few years back of a lad on a bike filmed attacking a car (in which to get at the bloke inside) with a huge zombie knife.
Google;
Teenager who avoided jail after attacking car with ‘zombie knife’ to have sentence reviewed after backlash
Horrific incident and thankfully the man inside the car managed to get away. the lad was arrested and on his day in court, the judge felt sorry for him and the lad walked free. huge outcry, his case was reviewed and he received a 2 year prison sentence …suspended. As i said the laws a joke, now if he had misgendered a chick with a dick
“now if he had misgendered a chick with a dick”
Now Farouk, we’ve been through this language of hate before, you know very well it’s not chick with a dick, it’s a man with tits….
Try not pay a parking ticket though when you got back to the car 5 minutes after the ticket ran out 😀.
Down my high street they no longer bother calling the police for shop lifting, the shops have security guard but they’re told not to confront shop lifters, I ask one why, the reply was they’re their because the companies insurance company wanted them. Thing is its not people stealing a sandwiches or groceries because they starving, its wine, steaks and high end stuff to flog. A family member was offered to have meat stolen to order in the local pub so its essentially a business.
The target shops are always the Tesco’s, Sainsburys etc, this also helps portray the criminals as victims because we’re all are told that its big business that are the real criminals and victimless crime.
Good point yet as has just come out, the Govt were complicit in sacking the Second Sight Investigation into the Horizon Scandal when those investigators discovered the system was erroneous. Clear evidence of a cover up by them and fraud with leading members of the PO board involved in project Sparrow (was it?) created to sack the Company. The Post Office Minister of the time at the very least along with those PO executives under any definition of justice, should face Court Proceedings, I would say very serious charges. Of course such thoughts are probably fanciful when for the ‘little man’ it would be very different expectations no doubt.
Fit a small inert missile that tracks the laser. Hey presto one less oxygen thief in this sinking country.
I wonder what the MDP are doing about this. I believe they are responsible for security on the public side of the fence at USVF facilities.
Cretins….
Please don’t blind our pilots, even temporarily, for sport. Uncle Sugar thanks you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.
Civilian aircraft and police helicopters have been targeted in the past. This moronic behaviour is nothing new. Ultimately the authorities must look at such devices, powerful lasers or just lasers, being generally available for sale to the public. Also drones are a growing issue; these are, to some extent covered by legislation, but as with speeding in a vehicle or misuse of fireworks, it relies on effective enforcement for control. As such this not a issue that can be decided by a warning issued by a foreign power within the U.K.
Unfortunately in 21 century banning anything doesn’t work because you can just order from abroad and no one can check millions of packages
True Andy. The availability of guns used in crime is staggering to this London born chap decades after The Blue Lamp …
You have hit on an important point here. Gun laws in the US directly effects UK rights and freedoms here because it has been proved that a large amount of guns on our streets and used by criminals originate from the US. I get particularly pissed therefore whenever I hear a condescending self righteous ‘morally superior’ yank lecturing us about gun laws here don’t work when it’s their laws that actually feed the (if far lesser) gun problem.
Catch them then send them to the Russain front 💀 nothing but bloody idiots
Grow the hell up!!! These men and women have spent they’re lives getting to a point where they can and will successfully guard us against any and all threats……..THEN you get some ar*ehole trying to blind them with a laser!?! WTF has come of Britain!?!