The Laser Threat

Since everyone’s hung over from New Year’s, here’s some depressing news for you:

Sgt. Stryker takes a look at the recent incidents of lasers being aimed at planes and finds that it’s not about blinding pilots, but determining glideslopes:

Lasers are not being used to blind pilots. Lasers are being used to measure straight line distance from the ground to an aircraft aircraft at its most vulnerable state – landing. An aircraft on takeoff would be a more difficult target – maximum power and maximum climb. But a landing ship slows down to a speed just short of a stall and follows a prescribed path of flight.

The information regarding an aircraft’s peak vulnerability would be invaluable. Documenting landing approaches and and straight line distances would be highly useful in target acquisition. That information is critical regarding available weapons systems.

Since 2002, the FBI has been issuing warnings about shoulder fired missiles being smuggled into the U.S. The effective range of older shoulder fired missiles is between 11,000 and 15,000 feet and can be fired from up to 3 miles away from the target. Newer models, which are already bring copied by the likes of North Korea, China and Pakistan have ranges exceeding 22,000 feet with greater stand off distances.

However, I’m not necessarily sure I buy his argument. IFR approaches are published and not hard to find. You don’t need a laser to target an incoming airliner, obtaining access to incoming aircraft glide paths is hardly difficult. Considering that in congested urban areas you can stand on a freeway overpass or in long-term parking and easily take down an airliner, it’s actually somewhat surprising that someone hasn’t tried this yet.

Using a laser as a rangefinder seems counterproductive, especially when it only attracts attention to you and increases security without causing problems. I’m skeptical that this is an attempt at terrorism, it seems more likely to be a stupid prank to me. However, it never hurts to be aware of the dangers, and law enforcement must track down and find whoever is responsible for these incidents, whether they be terrorists or something else.