IRST high def cameras

[Foo Fighter]

This kit has been around for a long time now, is it possible that various available units could be converted for use with ground vehicles to better restrict attack rotary wing assets from having the ability to loiter just out of SHORAD unit range? The Tomcat had such a system with a camera attached for long range target ID but no idea what the standard or level of availability of these sytems might be for ground vehicle mount.

I am just thinking out of left field but wondered if it might be worth trying at least.

 

[Scott Kenny]

This kit has been around for a long time now, is it possible that various available units could be converted for use with ground vehicles to better restrict attack rotary wing assets from having the ability to loiter just out of SHORAD unit range? The Tomcat had such a system with a camera attached for long range target ID but no idea what the standard or level of availability of these sytems might be for ground vehicle mount.

I am just thinking out of left field but wondered if it might be worth trying at least.

Those end up being really expensive. Example: civilian legal 320x240, 15+hz sensor is $400. A 200x150, ~30hz sensor is $600. (from SeekThermal) A 4k sensor is 4096x2180ish, which has roughly 72x the pixel count of a 640x480. so you could expect a 4k thermal sensor to be roughly $116,000, assuming straight scaling. Plus good lenses for the sensor, which the civvie units I'm comparing with do NOT have.

 

[publiusr]

I seem to remember phys.org stories of optics breakthroughs that might cost less.

 

[Scott Kenny]

I seem to remember phys.org stories of optics breakthroughs that might cost less.

Yes, I also remember some stories of less expensive materials that were transparent to IR frequencies and were very strong.

 

[Foo Fighter]

Those end up being really expensive. Example: civilian legal 320x240, 15+hz sensor is $400. A 200x150, ~30hz sensor is $600. (from SeekThermal) A 4k sensor is 4096x2180ish, which has roughly 72x the pixel count of a 640x480. so you could expect a 4k thermal sensor to be roughly $116,000, assuming straight scaling. Plus good lenses for the sensor, which the civvie units I'm comparing with do NOT have.

I think you are talking about new build, I am on about reuse of old kit. The F-14 could id tagets a fair way out but. if the units are beyond use that takes them out of the equation. Plenty of other sources for kit though.

 

[Scott Kenny]

I think you are talking about new build, I am on about reuse of old kit. The F-14 could id tagets a fair way out but. if the units are beyond use that takes them out of the equation. Plenty of other sources for kit though.

The F-14 IRST and TCS were not mounted in an optics turret. A ground vehicle needs an optics turret for the sensors.