A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon lands at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Oct. 21, 2025. Three incidents have been reported this month in which a laser beam from an unknown source was pointed at fighter pilots on approach to the base, and German authorities are investigating. (Gretchen McCarty/U.S. Air Force)
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — German authorities have launched a criminal investigation into apparent laser beam attacks earlier this month on pilots of American F-16s at Spangdahlem Air Base.
Three fighter pilots reported encountering what they described as a blue laser beam while on approach to Spangdahlem, the Trier criminal investigation department said in a statement Friday. The department is part of the Rheinland-Pfalz police agency.
Two of the incidents occurred on Dec. 2, and another a week later, on Dec. 9, while the aircraft were only a few kilometers away from the base, the statement said.
In all three cases, which occurred between 8 and 8:30 p.m., the pilots landed safely, German authorities said.
Laser attacks pose a high risk to pilots, as they can cause temporary blindness and disorientation as well as eye injuries, according to Air Force investigators.
The 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem is tracking the incidents in the Trier police report, said Master Sgt. Alex Riedel, the wing spokesman, on Friday.
“In all instances, the aircraft landed safely,” Riedel said. “Our pilots are well-trained for these scenarios and report the laser source’s location to the U.S. law enforcement and German police, with whom we are fully cooperating. Further details are pending investigation.”
The source of the laser beams is unknown, and anyone who witnessed the incidents or has information about them is asked to come forward, Trier investigators said Friday.
In 2023, the Air Force reported a surge in incidents involving laser pointers, describing the effect of a laser beam on pilots as being like a camera flash in a pitch-black car at night, according to an Air Force statement.
Even seemingly harmless beams, such as those used for classroom presentations or amusing a house cat, can be dangerous to pilots, it said.
The Air Force is upgrading eyewear for aircrews to provide combined laser and ballistic protection capability for the first time, according to Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. The initial plans called for more than 42,000 devices to be fielded to units by 2027.
