Military Testing Infrared Gunfire Detector

[leftchick]

http://p222.news.mud.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051029/ap_on_hi_te/detecting_weapons_4

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."

WeaponWatch is a major reason that Radiance, which had only three employees six years ago, now has 275. Over that period, it's been one of the 500 fastest-growing small businesses in the United States.

[formercia]

1. The first thing the sniper will take out

is the detector. Sniper targets are engaged based on value and threat, that's why the CO and radio communications are usually the first targets hit. There are other ways to reduce a thermal signature, but this is not the place to discuss it.

The enemy will adapt. I just hope it's worth the cost.

[leftchick]

2. it won't be worth it for anyone

except the military contracters who designed it.

[occuserpens]

3. hacking the sensors

In Vietnam, US bio-sensors were hacked by urine-filled bags. I suspect something like this will happen to these gadgets as well.

[formercia]

4. like someone setting off a firecracker do distract attention

while the sniper does their work from another point.

It reminds me of the Yugoslavs and how they pretty much fooled our sensor technology with fake targets. The best one was using a $75. Microvave to attract megadollar anti-radiation missiles. Quite a good cost vs benefit ratio.

This kind of thing as been going on for ages. During WWII the British built dummy aircraft to try and fool the Luftwaffe into thinking they had more planes than they did. The Germans responded quite humorously by dropping wooden bombs on the fakes.

[Canuckistanian]

6. Snopes says wooden bomb story unlikely

http://www.snopes.com/military/woodbomb.asp

Funny, but unlikely.

[formercia]

7. Unlikely they had a sense of humor?

[Canuckistanian]

8. Unlikely that the story is true

They have a great sense of humor.

[formercia]

9. Schadenfreude

[occuserpens]

5. can be

The point is, contact with the locals is critrical in any guerilla war, and in the cities - especially. No gadgets can replace hints from the friendlies.