L3Harris claims a technological first in target tracking after completing the maiden flight test of its new infrared-based system.
The company’s Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system was recently mounted inside an AgilePod case attached to an aircraft, allowing engineers to test its full range of tracking and sensing capabilities in flight.
The test reportedly validated the tech’s ability to detect, identify, and monitor aerial targets within its field-of-view by using infrared sensors instead of radar.
It used built-in passive sensors to capture data in real-time, with a long-wave sensor picking up heat signatures and a mid-wave sensor maintaining tracking functionality in challenging conditions.
“With IRST, now you can see clearly and operate freely in the dark. Breakthroughs in passive remote sensing like IRST serve as a great example of how L3Harris keeps our customers safe and undetected in combat operations,” said L3Harris Engineering Director George Reaves.
Details on broader rollouts were not disclosed, but the company noted it will continue testing the system for further refinement.
Radar vs Infrared
Radar remains a key tool in military and civilian tracking, but its radio waves could compromise critical assets and alert potential threats.
“Radar systems are like shining a flashlight in a dark room,” Reaves said, adding that while it enables operators to see everything, it allows everyone to see those operators too.
Infrared tackles that problem by emitting minimal signals that essentially make operators invisible to hostile eyes.
L3Harris’ IRST system merges radiation, light, and heat data into a processing system that produces real-time imagery, using focal plane array tech to speed up the entire process.
“We’re not just building targeting systems, we’re building the future of defense, one silent step at a time,” Reaves stressed.
