June 2010 AIR FORCE Magazine

[bosshawk]

I have been watching this subject with a certain amount of interest.  Let someone who has been involved in aerial imaging since Nov 62 chime in.  There may very well be a company named FLIR: I have no knowledge nor interest in investigating that claim.  IR imaging systems have been in use in the military since at least 1962, but I can't remember when the forward looking IR came into use.  I was trained to interpret the output of IR sensors in Army aircraft in 62/63: both in the OV-1 and RU-8D.  IR was used in VN extensively: ask the VC who had their cooking fires interrupted by US artillery incoming.

What difference does it make whether one company or another is offering FLIR systems to CAP?  None.  It remains to be seen whether or not CAP buys some of them: then, the question becomes one of who gets trained to use them.  It probably takes months to learn to interpret the images, so that will be a huge issue for CAP.   If some of you folks remember one of the issues with the GA-8 and its sensor, you will recall that we still don't have a sufficient cadre of people who know how to use the imagery.  Some of the operators claim to know how, but I have yet to meet one.

Nuff said!!!

[RiverAux]

infrared images are nothing special.  Other than training on proper use and care of equipment, I don't think image interpretation is a real training issue. 

[Short Field]

infrared images are nothing special.  Other than training on proper use and care of equipment, I don't think image interpretation is a real training issue.

Spoken like a true non-imagery interpreter.   Of course I am biased as I spend years of my life trying to keep my imagery interpreters full qualified and providing them with upgrade and advanced imagery interpretation training.  Bosshawk is right about the training issue.

[Major Lord]

FLIR is a trademark name of FLIR systems Inc. Its important to distinguish between the trade name and the fact the company makes various imagery products, and a lot of things get lumped into one. There are Infrared imagery systems, which are little more than CCD video cameras(Like the ARCHER)  and view images from reflected infrared or near Infrared light, thermal imagery systems that view "heat" as light and can see through walls (much more expensive and high tech) and Light intensification by photomultiplier tube (i.e. "Starlight" scopes) There is a degree of overlap between these separate technologies. They told un in the ARCHER seminar that we can't have the thermal capabilities because of fears of posse comitatus issues ( What Freud would have called an "Irrational Fear") So do these Alaskan aircraft have Thermal capabilities? Will we see this technology in use on our Southern border?

Major Lord

[A.Member]

So do these Alaskan aircraft have Thermal capabilities?

This is the info on the FLIR EVS3 system reportedly purchased for Alaska last year:

http://www.flir.com/cvs/americas/en/aviation/products/evs3/

[RiverAux]

infrared images are nothing special.  Other than training on proper use and care of equipment, I don't think image interpretation is a real training issue.

Spoken like a true non-imagery interpreter.   Of course I am biased as I spend years of my life trying to keep my imagery interpreters full qualified and providing them with upgrade and advanced imagery interpretation training.  Bosshawk is right about the training issue.

Actually spoken by someone that has used infrared imaging.  I don't claim to be an expert on some of the fancier uses, but anything CAP is likely to use it for isn't going to be that big a deal. 

[PHall]

It is an acronym.  Forward Looking Infra-Red.  The FLIR company developed the acronym.  They were the industry leader from day one, so from then on, everything was a FLIR.  Great marketing.  Make your company name the name of the technology.  Even Gyrocam and the others people still refer to as FLIR's.  The FLIR company has been around about 20 years.

That's interesting. I worked around some stuff in the Navy in the early '80s (almost 30 years ago). The A-6E AN/AAS-33 TRAM turret, and the A-7E AN/AAR-42 FLIR pod come to mind, and neither were built by a company named FLIR. TRAM was a Hughes system, and AAR-42 was built by Texas Instruments.

I'm willing to bet that FLIR was the sub-contractor who provided the FLIR sensor to Hughes and TI.

[Flying Pig]

It is an acronym.  Forward Looking Infra-Red.  The FLIR company developed the acronym.  They were the industry leader from day one, so from then on, everything was a FLIR.  Great marketing.  Make your company name the name of the technology.  Even Gyrocam and the others people still refer to as FLIR's.  The FLIR company has been around about 20 years.

That's interesting. I worked around some stuff in the Navy in the early '80s (almost 30 years ago). The A-6E AN/AAS-33 TRAM turret, and the A-7E AN/AAR-42 FLIR pod come to mind, and neither were built by a company named FLIR. TRAM was a Hughes system, and AAR-42 was built by Texas Instruments.

Then I stand corrected.