Heat‐Seeking Technology
Heat‐Seeking Technologyis most commonly associated with the detection of infrared radiation. All objects with a temperature greater than absolute zero emit infrared energy, the most common characteristic of which is heat. Detection of this heat can be utilized for many purposes.
Military adaptations of infrared technology began during World War II. A device called the Sniperscope was developed by the Allies, enabling the soldiers to see and shoot at night by distinguishing the heat differentials of the terrain. In addition to the Sniperscope and other night‐vision devices, the potential of this technology for guidance purposes began to be realized. An infrared detector could be added to a missile, allowing the missile to seek out and follow the heat given off by the target. The U.S. military has since developed a number of such missiles, beginning with the Sidewinder, an antiaircraft missile successfully tested in 1953 and...
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