The Chinese military targeted a U.S. surveillance aircraft with a weapons-grade laser, according to the Navy.

An American P-8A Poseidon was flying above the Philippine Sea approximately 350 miles west of Guam when a Chinese naval destroyer pointed the laser at the aircraft, the Navy said. The laser could not be detected by the human eye, but the aircraft's sensors detected the beam.

A statement from the U.S. Pacific Fleet said the Chinese navy violated international codes and agreements in the region. The Navy said the laser could have placed the crew and American equipment in danger.

“Weapons-grade lasers could potentially cause serious harm to aircrew and mariners, as well as ship and aircraft systems,” the Navy said.

The P-8A Poseidon is a Boeing aircraft capable of carrying nine crew members and several weapons, including torpedoes and mines. The Poseidon flight crew involved in the incident is deployed to the Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan. The squadron routinely patrols the region and conducts routine operations.