Which Military Lasers Threaten Eyes & Sensors, and How Do We Block 532/808/980/1064/1550 nm?

Lasers on the battlefield can threaten both human eyes and critical sensors. Blocking dangerous wavelengths like 532, 808, 980, 1064, and 1550 nm is essential for the safety of aircrew, infantry, and electro-optical systems. Let's explore which military lasers pose the greatest risks and how modern optical filters keep people and equipment safe.

1. Aircrew and Crew Protection
Lasers can cause temporary flash-blindness, after-images, and even permanent eye injury. Green 532 nm lasers are particularly dangerous at night—humans are most sensitive to green, so even low-power beams can overwhelm vision. The FAA reported nearly 12,800 laser strikes on aircraft in 2024, highlighting real-world risks.

2. Electro-Optical Sensors
Lasers can saturate or damage imaging sensors (VIS, NIR, SWIR), star trackers, seekers, and UAV gimbals. Even so-called 'eye-safer' lasers in the near-infrared can burn or blind sensitive detectors.

3. Mission Integrity
Opposing forces routinely use laser pointers, illuminators, rangefinders, and designators. These can dazzle, distract, or disable both people and equipment.

4. Compliance and Standards
Military systems follow MIL-STD-1425A (laser safety requirements) and ANSI Z136 exposure limits for personnel and sensors.

Here are the most common threat bands and their effects:

• 532 nm (green): Most disruptive to eyes, max visual sensitivity. Causes severe glare and is frequent in aircraft strikes. Blinds visible cameras.
• 808 nm / 980 nm (near-infrared): Invisible to the eye, so there is no natural blink reflex, but still focused onto the retina. Affects NVG systems and NIR cameras; 808 nm is right in the NVG band, while 980 nm is just beyond but still hazardous to sensors.
• 1064 nm (Nd:YAG): Common for military rangefinders and designators. Invisible and highly hazardous to both eyes and NIR-sensitive cameras.
• 1550 nm: Still called 'eye-safer' since most energy is absorbed in the eye's front (cornea/lens), but at high power can cause harm and is a strong threat to SWIR cameras and sensors. Used in some advanced rangefinders and LiDAR systems.

Note: NVG compatibility matters for aircrew; NVGs are typically sensitive to light up to about 930 nm.

The best filter depends on whether you are protecting people, sensors, or both. Most effective solutions combine hard-coated dielectric notches with absorptive glass layers to achieve deep blocking while maintaining color and brightness.

• For Human Eye Protection (LEP eyewear, visors): Use dielectric notch or multi-notch eyewear tuned to threat lines (e.g., 532/1064 nm, and optionally 808/980 nm). Look for OD 4–6+ at each wavelength and certified ANSI/EN ratings. Some aviation visors maintain readability of cockpit displays and NVGs while attenuating green and NIR threats.
• For Sensor and Window Protection (gimbals, turrets, sights): Use hard-coated notch filters (e.g., OD 6 dual/triple notch for 532/1064/1550 nm on glass like BK7, fused silica, or sapphire) to protect cameras. Add KG3 or similar NIR absorptive glass as a 'sacrificial' layer to absorb 800–1200 nm and protect against background or high-fluence exposure.
• For Cockpit and Display Filtering: Apply NVIS-compatible filters and coatings (per MIL-STD-3009) to ensure cockpit lighting remains readable to human vision while blocking NVG-dazzling wavelengths.

• 532 nm: 532-nm notch (OD ≥ 4–6) for eyewear and windows; maintain high visible light transmission.
• 808 nm: 808-nm notch or KG-glass; ensure NVG compatibility if required.
• 980 nm: 980-nm notch or NIR absorption with a KG3 glass stack.
• 1064 nm: 1064-nm notch, often combined with a 532 nm notch in dual-band designs (OD 6 options exist).
• 1550 nm: 1550-nm notch for SWIR-sensor protection; less critical for human eye or standard windows.

Practical Installation Tips:

• Use tilted filters (e.g., Tenebraex) to prevent back-reflections into the system or crew.
• Apply AR coatings and slight wedge angle to reduce ghosting.
• Optimize your filter for the actual angle of incidence and field of view; notch position shifts toward shorter wavelengths at higher AOI.
• Always confirm OD and filter spec with your Laser Safety Officer, considering your actual laser class, energy, divergence, and engagement geometry.

• Most robust military laser protection stacks a KG glass absorptive layer (blocks 800–1200 nm) with notch coatings at 532, 1064, and 1550 nm, all tuned for your system's use angle and viewing requirements.
• Modern solutions protect both people and sensors, keep mission performance intact, and support both day and night operations.

Contact your optical filter supplier or Laser Safety Officer to specify the right solution for your needs—safety in combat is as much about optical engineering as it is about tactics.