High-visibility, Infrared Beacons for IFF and Combat ID

摘要

A new kind of Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) infrared beacon has been demonstrated. The omni-directional beacon consists of a pyramidal array of 1W pulsIR~® thermal light sources. Operating at a total power of 84W, the beacon can be used to track and identify surface vehicles and personnel with a recognition range of up to 6 miles on the battlefield and in urban environments or the marine boundary layer. Advanced photonic technology enables the beacon to be seen only while using a 3-5 μm or 8-12 μm thermal imaging system. There is no visible or near-IR emission to betray the location of the beacon. The beacon is rugged and will operate from -40 to 50C ambient temperature, 0-100% relative humidity, 0 - 10,000 ft altitude, and meets MIL-STD 810F and MIL-STD 461E.