Infrared Detects Sniper Gunfire

Post by **TunnelRat** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 6:55 pm

Wired News wrote:Infrared Detects Sniper Gunfire

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0, ... 16,00.html

08:05 AM Oct. 29, 2005 PT

WASHINGTON -- A sniper fires on American troops in Iraq. In the milliseconds before the bullet hits -- in fact, before the shot is even heard -- a computer screen reveals the gun's model and exact location. That's the kind of intelligence that can save soldiers' lives. The Army is currently testing the technology in combat.

The devices are made by Radiance Technologies, a small Alabama company, and differ in their approach to gunfire detection from systems already deployed in Iraq that rely on acoustics. Radiance's invention, WeaponWatch, is powered by infrared sensors that detect missiles or gunfire at the speed of light.

"Obviously when the first shot is fired, you can't do anything about it," said George Clark, president of the company founded in 1999. "But what it does do is it allows you to not have a second fired."

More at:http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0, ... 16,00.html

Post by **NavyChief** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 12:21 pm

Way cool. Like they said - can't do anything about the first shot, but by golly follow-ons are gonna be dicey. Give new meaning to "shoot'n'scoot."

Post by **TunnelRat** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 12:23 pm

NavyChief wrote:Way cool. Like they said - can't do anything about the first shot, but by golly follow-ons are gonna be dicey. Give new meaning to "shoot'n'scoot."

I'm not sure how effective this would be against a real soldier. I was trained that once you pull the trigger you roll and run. If you're still in the same place you fired from even a few seconds later, you deserve to go home in a bag.

Willy P · Post by **Willy P** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 5:12 pm

Depending on just how they are using the IR it could be set to track the barrel of the gun or the snipers body heat as he heads away, unless he has the newest ghillie with mylar in it to break up the signature of his body heat. The guys I work with that just came back from level 2 school and I spent a little time exploring the subject today. They learned how to "see" different gas leaking while in the last class. I think I would be hunkering down in my sniper's hide if I knew I was being thermographed. A little clear lexan or mylar is IR "camo". I know "we" have IR camo ghillies but I'm not sure the knowledge to make them is outside the US in a big way yet.

Post by **NavyChief** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 6:27 pm

tommcnaughton wrote:I'm not sure how effective this would be against a real soldier. I was trained that once you pull the trigger you roll and run. If you're still in the same place you fired from even a few seconds later, you deserve to go home in a bag.

Concur. But I think the folks this would be used as CM against probably don't qualify as "real soldiers." Low-life pond-scum sucking terr's maybe, but not soldiers...

Petrovich · Post by **Petrovich** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 1:31 am

NavyChief wrote:
tommcnaughton wrote:I'm not sure how effective this would be against a real soldier. I was trained that once you pull the trigger you roll and run. If you're still in the same place you fired from even a few seconds later, you deserve to go home in a bag.
Concur. But I think the folks this would be used as CM against probably don't qualify as "real soldiers." Low-life pond-scum sucking terr's maybe, but not soldiers...

Maybe they should invent one that detects turbans and beards, instead.

Regulator2 · Post by **Regulator2** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 11:17 am

while it never pays to underestimate anyone or their capabilities....

all the Hadjis I had the joy of enlightening to their "Paradise and Troop of Virgins" were not all that technical

but they had the gun and run down....they would spray one or two mags...set off a bomb...and scoot if we didn't get them

not sure if 8 months later that is still the case

Post by **TunnelRat** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 11:31 am

Regulator2 wrote:...they would spray one or two mags...set off a bomb...and scoot if we didn't get them

not sure if 8 months later that is still the case

Yup, my son in the 3ID called me today (Hooray!). The Hadjis are still up to the same old tricks, and we are still taking them down, one or two at a time..