Defeat Thermal Imaging , page 2

reply to post by ChrisF231

This is not the topic of the thread. There are plenty of other US vs the World threads - try using these.

Topic is IR evasion. The most useful method of evading Thermal detection is to create a busy thermal background while making your own thermal signaure look less like that of a human.

In basic terms, the human body has an extremely recognisable shape, particularly to other humans. One of the key principles of camoflage and concealment is to remove or disrupt this shape when viewed by another party. That is why you see pictures of soldiers running around with hedges sticking out of their helmets. They're not tryintg to look like a hedge, they're trying to look less like a person. It breaks up the shape of head-shoulders-4 limbs-torso.

This technique is obvious in the visual spectrum, but what about the thermal one? Well, many materials have varying IR reflective properties, as have been in previous posts. If you are aware that a tracking party have thermal capabilities, your best option is to move into an area with a large thermal signature, such as an industrial area. This is most effective in summer months, as metalic objects soak up heat during the day and emit this in strange ways at varying temperatures. This will present multiple thermal signatures to confuse TI equipment. In such environments, the operator will attempt to distinguish which signatures are human and which are machinery/metal.

Methods of disguising shape vary from simply curling up into a ball to using dedicated thermal reflective equipment. Thermal blankets are available and are quite effective, but are costly. They are actually quite lightweight, but retain heat like a bugger. This will cause dramas if you use it while moving. Differing materials in the environment can be hidden behind, but again this involves static evasion, which is not optimal against a well-drilled hunter force.

Unfortuantely there is no be-all-and-end-all method for the evasion of thermal equipment for any real amount of time, particularly if moving. A man on foot will immediately attract attention as the mark 1 eyeball will immediately be drawn to movement.

Thermal equipment is probably the single most effective piece of detection equipment available to a hunter force. However it is not perfect and can be fooled for short periods. I'm afraid that the only method of ensuring you're not picked up by such equipment is by not being in an area where it is deployed.