Originally Posted by Astronomy

They'd respond with a wide variety of closely coordinated countermeasures. Round the clock attention from Fusion Intelligence Centers, ISR (drones, big and small, at all altitudes), prowling attack aircraft, precision artillery/fires, sniper/observer teams, infantry sweeps, intercept/geo-tracking of all available communications nodes (especially phones/computers), significant arrests of suspected insurgents (or hostages), jamming of remote controller frequencies, employment of HUMINT assets, and pattern of life targeting of everyone living in your AO. The enemy would likely move significant assets into your area. Perhaps establishing permanent basing. A good way to attract an extremely active response... for little return on investment.

Your area would rocket to the top of the list as an insurgent stronghold. I fail to see the upside of advertising your presence for the sake of mere harassment.

Stick to using visible lasers for short range gun fights... or amusing cats.

Originally Posted by Astronomy

Typical US military devices operate at 600-867 nm (for small arms mounted/handheld designators like a rifle mounted AN/PEQ 15 ATPIAL or IZLID hand held Commander's Pointer) and at around 1064 nm for more powerful CAS designators (like the AN/PEQ 1 SOFLAM).

Little of that need concern you. Those are mostly used in IR mode to designate fires (from small arms engagement ranges out to several kilometers). Military night vision devices and camera systems are going to pick up IR glint (by day or night) as well as all visible laser wavelengths. In military circles, almost nobody uses visible lasers for targeting. Use of visible lasers typically signals that the employer is not a well equipped military force. You've self identified as the B-Team.

Nevertheless, just about any commercially available visible laser pointer can still raise havoc with vehicle & aircraft crews.

While flying over Baghdad one late afternoon, I got hit full in the eyes by a green laser aimed at my aircraft as it passed over the SE Karadah district of the city. Beam entered the open door of my UH60 Black Hawk and hit me full in the face. I just happened to be looking in exactly that direction when the laser swept the aircraft.

I was wearing tinted ballistic eyewear which deflected much of it, but it still rang my bell. Instant flashbulb-like after-image (in full daylight) and an immediate splitting headache that lasted for hours. I'd estimate the slant range (from the ground to my bird) at 750ish meters. I had a pretty good idea where it came from, but no valid reason to shoot back.

This effect from a typical inexpensive AA battery green laser pointer. The kind available at any market in the city for a few dollars. Their possession/use was epidemic at that time. Kids had 'em. So did local insurgents who liked to dazzle coalition aircraft at low altitudes. Just harassment.

I've had somebody momentarily place a green dot on my CIRAS maritime vest in broad daylight (same country) and the effect was disconcerting. Makes you jump for cover. But still much better than simply taking a bullet instead. Lasers were ubiquitous back then and half the time it was unarmed kids trying to get a rise out of us.

The problem with using such visible lasers is that the targeted recipient still has a pretty rough idea of where it came from. Enough to accurately hose your general location. If he has firepower and unrestricted ROE, you're day is gonna suck. You may intend harassment only, but the response might be indiscriminate and lethal. At the very least, you've signaled hostile intent and a location worthy of return fires.

Be careful about poking critters with teeth.

We used battlefield lasers to either 1) hit a target with bullets from our own bullet launchers or 2) Sparkle/Rope designation of a target for servicing by bigger supporting fires (gunship, armored vehicle main guns, attack helicopter, JDAM, LGBs, etc.).

Screwing around with harassment use of visible lasers is a good way to not accomplish much besides your own demise. Or the destruction of whomever's property you used to launch that beam from. Your neighbors might not think highly of you for bringing down the scunion on them...