The high-power CO

2

laser disturbance to Long-wave Infrared (LWIR) HgCdTe detectors is investigated theoretically and experimentally in this paper. Based on the practical parameters of experiments

a theoretical model of temperature-rise is adopted to calculate the variation of temperature with the time and the power of laser irradiation on a detectors. Then

the high-power laser damage mechanism to the LWIR detector is discussed

and obtained results are compared with the experimental results from that a CO

2

laser irradiates the detector on the distance of 15 km. The experimental results show that the power density of the CW CO

2

laser with the power of 2.5 kW can achieve 0.16 W/cm

2

after attenuation for 15 km distance. Therefore

the power density of the target after focusing by a lens can be 140 W/cm

2

by calculation.Furthermore

when the power density of the target is 20.5 W/cm

2

the detector can be jammed; when it achieves 110 W/cm

2

the detector can be damaged and the detector temperature is high enough for Hg deposition. This experimental phenomenon well agrees with the results predicted by the theoretical calculation. The conclusions can provide references for the laser defense of detectors and laser jamming satellite-based detectors.