Why Does Infrared Radiation Matter on the Battlefield?

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Infrared radiation is given off by heat, either body heat on the ground or jet engines in the air—making IR-seeking technology deadly.

Infrared radiation, or IR, is the electromagnetic radiation from heat. Everything emits IR—engines, electronics, even the human body. And on the battlefield, many sensors are designed to detect IR in order to improve situational awareness. Increasingly, warfare revolves around managing heat—both the reduction of one’s own, and the detection of the enemy’s.

IR Signatures Matter—on Land, in the Air, and on Sea

In the battlefield context, there are a few main contributors to IR.

In the air, the most obvious source of infrared radiation are aircraft engines—burning jet fuel in order to propel the plane at supersonic or near-supersonic speeds. Exhaust plumes offer another high IR contrast. Even if the plane’s jet engines could somehow be muffled, the airframe itself is a major source of IR; airframes........

© The National Interest