Chinese Missile Boats Use Laser to Harass Philippine Patrol Plane

A Chinese PLA Navy missile boat repeatedly used a high-intensity laser to harass a Philippine patrol plane last week, according to Manila's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). Laser illumination can impair or damage pilots' eyesight, potentially putting the aircraft at risk, and it is illegal in many nations. 

On Friday, a BFAR patrol plane was operating in the Philippine exclusive economic zone near Half Moon Shoal, about 60 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan. It was accompanying two BFAR surface ships, the BRP Romapenet and the BRP Taradipit, which were under way on a mission to deliver supplies to fishermen at the reef. The shoal is closer to the Philippine home islands than most of the contested features in the Spratly archipelago, and has not historically seen high levels of Chinese military activity. 

According to Philippine outlet ABS-CBN (which had a reporter aboard BRP Romapenet), two Hubei-class Type 22 guided missile boats began following the BFAR fishery ships as they transited to Half Moon Shoal. As the PLA Navy vessels tailed the Philippine ships, they illuminated the BFAR patrol plane with a high-intensity laser. 

Chinese government vessels have previously used targeting lasers to harass the Philippine Coast Guard, but this event involved an aircraft and saw repeated use of the laser device. After the BFAR aircraft challenged the Chinese missile boats and asked them to stop, one of the boats used the laser twice more, at intervals of about five minutes. 

The pilots reported "high intensity white light" resulting in eye discomfort. Targeting lasers are typically in the green, red or infrared parts of the spectrum. 

The Type 22 is a high-speed missile boat operated by the PLA Navy, armed with eight antiship cruise missiles and capable of making 42 knots (reduced to 20 knots in higher sea states). It has not been seen before in the Philippine EEZ, security analyst Dr. Chester Cabalza told ABS CBN. "This is alarming because it was a missile ship that shadowed our civilian vessel. We all know that if a grey ship [naval vessel] was used, it was meant to intimidate us," he said. 

On Saturday, later in the mission, a Chinese military helicopter closely shadowed BRP Romapenet near Sabina Shoal, flying within 20 meters of the vessel. The BFAR vessels completed their transit and delivered food, fuel and medications to about 100 fishermen near Half Moon Shoal.