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Germany has raised serious concerns after a Chinese warship allegedly aimed a laser at a German surveillance aircraft during an EU mission over the Red Sea earlier this month. The German government labeled the incident as extremely dangerous for its crew and disruptive to their operations, calling it completely unacceptable.
In response, Germany's Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador to Berlin on Tuesday to formally address these issues. As of now, there has been no public response from China, nor any immediate comment from its foreign ministry or the embassy in Berlin.
The incident reportedly occurred on July 2, while a German aircraft was conducting a routine mission as part of Operation Aspides, an EU initiative aimed at safeguarding international shipping routes in the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Gulf. This operation was launched in February 2024 following attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the region, focusing purely on maritime surveillance, escorting merchant ships, and protecting them from threats.
According to Germany's Defence Ministry, the aircraft involved was a MultiSensor Platform (MSP), commonly referred to as a flying eye, gathering reconnaissance data in the Red Sea since October 2023. Although the aircraft is managed by a civilian contractor, it also had members of the German military on board.
German media, including Der Spiegel, reported that the aircraft was likely a specially modified Beechcraft King Air 350 flying out of Djibouti. During its mission, the plane approached a Chinese warship that had been seen in the area multiple times before. Without any warning or communication, the warship targeted the plane with a laser.
The German Defence Ministry stated that this action put both the crew aboard and the aircraft at risk. As a precautionary measure, the mission was aborted, and the aircraft landed safely at its Djibouti base. At that time, the plane had both civilian crew members and four German military personnel on board.
The type of laser used by the Chinese warship has not been disclosed. However, laser systems can vary in strength; some may interfere with optics or human vision, while more powerful ones can damage equipment or even burn through surfaces. Der Spiegel noted that any potential damage from the laser is still under investigation.
Despite the incident, Germany's Defence Ministry confirmed that the MSP aircraft has since resumed its operations as part of the Aspides mission. Incidents involving China and NATO countries in Europe are uncommon, but China has faced similar accusations in the past. For instance, in 2020, the US Pacific Fleet claimed that a Chinese warship had fired a laser at a US patrol aircraft flying in international airspace west of Guam, a claim that China denied at the time, stating it did not align with the facts.
Germany's overall contribution to Operation Aspides consists of up to 700 personnel, although currently only 23 German staff are engaged in the mission. German warships involved in the operation have previously encountered Houthi drones and cruise missiles, achieving mixed results.
Reference: Reuters
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