LASER Strikes

[Flash]

There was a case a number of years back of some helo crews getting lased by a russian ship. It was a non-visible spectrum targeting laser. Powerful stuff, but of course no one could proive it was them.

They all had sight problems after that. We started wearing laser proof lenses when we rigged soviet ships after that.

Nothing funny about it.

Thanks for the POC info.

There was a Canadian Sea King that was rigging a Russian merchie in the Puget Sound in 1997 when it might have been lased in what was probably the most publicized incident that I can remember. The Canadian pilot and a US Navy officer both had vision problems afterward and burns on their eyes that the US said was consistent with those from a laser not available to civilians. The US Navy officer had his story about the incident and his struggles with the Navy afterwards in a Navy Times article (I think more than one article).

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=1322

 

[pat]

It gets worse... Not sure about the bigger ships, but on the FFGs, most have a TIS, which is a really crappy FLIR/DTV/LRF turret. They would use it all the time for boardings/seizures because it would give real time, exact ranging while providing SA for whatever they were doing. While in Combat one day briefing for the next go, I was watching the show on the big screen, and being a newly ordained ALSO, I asked what kind of class the "laser" was. Lots of blank stares. Finally one of the ET or FC chiefs dug it up in the pub. Sure enough, Class IIIb. After "emotionally" trying to explain why they shouldn't be doing this, especially w/ the helo sitting right there, all I could get was shrugs of shoulders. Maddening.

I sat the Mk 160 watch u/w occasionally on a DDG, (which was the system behind the TIS and the 5" gun), and you are dead on with "crappy". Odd thing is, we were anal about radiation, and very concious of what SPY was doing when there were helos in the air, but I never heard about the harmful effects of TIS vs. pilot eyes.

Of course, if you want to ensure safety, just ask the Mk 160 gun watch to look at the sun with TIS, and the whole contraption will be on CASREP for months. :icon_smil

 

[xnvyflyer]

Thanks for the post. Got any other good stories from your time pursuing the bag guys over Socal?

Just the typical stuff we get on an almost biweekly basis. Mostly white light shiners.

There are a few folks who just hate helicopters flying over their house, especially at night. At night we typically patrol higher than during the day, usually 800-1000 AGL. Nevertheless, this is still enough to get the trolls out with their Coleman million candle power and take a shot at us.

One of my co-workers was hit by this guy who was known for his light shining antics. He'd try to get us from up to a half mile or so. So, this particular deputy made an approach to where this guy was standing on his his back patio area. His approach terminated in a 30 foot hover over the guy's backyard. The PA was turned on and an announcement made along with the usage of the very bright search light of the helicopter. The announcement included something about the helicopter light being brighter, somebody spending the night in jail, blah, blah... To my knowledge, that guy has been laying low ever since.

Other light shiners have been contacted by patrol deputies and have "seen the light" as far as realizing they were stupid and agreed to stop doing it.

The lasers/white lights we see are not so much going to damage our eyes as they are going to pose a serious distraction at times we are already approaching a full plate of crew coordination. Nothing like the Russian merchant ship yet.

I didn't mention the obvious. Shutting of the anti-smash and position lights helps make it tougher to hit us. I just need to remember to turn them back on.

 

[Brett327]

^^ Hey, you stop shining your bright light at me, I'll stop shining my bright light at you.

Brett

 

[Schnugg]

There was a Canadian Sea King that was rigging a Russian merchie in the Puget Sound in 1997 when it might have been lased in what was probably the most publicized incident that I can remember. The Canadian pilot and a US Navy officer both had vision problems afterward and burns on their eyes that the US said was consistent with those from a laser not available to civilians. The US Navy officer had his story about the incident and his struggles with the Navy afterwards in a Navy Times article (I think more than one article).

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=1322

That was the case I was referencing. Good recall.