Tactical Infrared Systems

Evolutionary development is based on using continuous experimentation and adaptation in changing circumstances to reward success, while allowing, but eventually eliminating, failure, Since this approach is agile, flexible, quick reacting, and thrives on change, it contrasts with strategic planning in which systems are developed in a planned and orderly fashion to meet future requirements. A planned system is rigid, slow to react, and resists or ignores change, which contrasts with how the military traditionally develops weapon systems. One word that distinguishes between evolutionary and planned development is "chaos." Chaos, like risk, is unavoidable, and hence should be managed rather than avoided. Indeed, a certain degree of chaos is desirable because it generates the necessary set of adaptations and ideas that can eventually be "selected" for evolutionary improvement. The Darwinian concept of "survival of the fittest" can be applied to ideas, systems, and organizations that seek to maintain a competitive advantage.

The choice of available infrared (IR) detectors for insertion into modern IR systems is both large and confusing. The purpose of this volume is to provide a technical database from which rational IR detector selection criteria evolve, and thus clarify the options open to the modern IR system designer. Emphasis concentrates mainly on high-performance IR systems operating in a tactical environment, although there also is discussion of both strategic environments and low- to medium-performance system requirements.

This classic opens with a history of the development of the infrared portion of the spectrum, probes the system engineering process, and then examines the characteristics of the successful system engineer. The next eleven chapters delve deeply into the elements of infrared technology. Chapter 13 explains the functional relationships between the various system elements and the effects of their interactions when assembled into a system. In Chapter 14 the reader is invited to watch the development of an infrared search system for commercial jet transports. Part II contains an in-depth treatment of the applications of infrared techniques to the solution of military, industrial, medical, and scientific problems. It contains nearly 1400 annotated references to the infrared literature of the world. The annotations summarize the content, describe the hardware, details its performance and examine the significant results. The references are carefully arranged, extensively indexed, and does not contain citations to the classified or report literature, a feature appreciated by most readers. For those readers having the necessary credentials, Appendix 4 is a guide to the unpublished and classified literature of the infrared.