Lesson 23 — Seekers, IRST, and FLIR#
Three passive infrared sensors, three jobs: a seeker puts a weapon on target, an IRST searches and tracks like a silent radar, and a FLIR paints a picture for a human. All of them emit nothing — and because they read radiated heat, not reflected radar energy, they are the counter-stealth sensors low observability cannot fully hide from.
Seekers, IRST, and FLIR
The three-sensor taxonomy, reticle vs imaging seekers, why IRST is a passive radar, and the √(Jτ/NEI) range rule that beats stealth.
FlashcardsReview deck
Key terms and relations from the lesson, in a self-test deck.
Pre-flightPre-flight quiz
Five questions to work before class — anyone can be called to the board.
SlidesLesson slides
The deck we work through in class, as a PDF you can annotate.
DemoIR Detection Range
Slide the source intensity and watch the exponential atmosphere crush a 4.5× vacuum advantage down to 1.4×.