Military EO/IR Systems

Find Military EOIR System manufacturers and suppliers of Tactical Electro-Optical Infrared Systems, Sensors & Technologies for ISR, SAR and C-UAS defense applications
Overview Military EO/IR Systems
By Mike Ball Last updated: December 3rd, 2024

EO/IR (electro-optical/infrared) systems combine visible light sensors with infrared sensors, providing operational capabilities during the day, at night and in low-light or low-visibility conditions.

They are used for a variety of defense applications that involve enhancing situational awareness, including ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), search and rescue, threat detection and target identification, and protecting against IR-guided missiles.

Electro-Optical Infrared Systems

EO/IR systems can be divided into two broad categories – imaging and non-imaging.

Non-imaging EO/IR systems are used to detect what are known as point targets, which are small enough to appear as a single point within the resolution of the sensor. These are used to detect the presence of threats such as enemy aircraft, missiles, and drones, and tend to focus on detecting unusual amounts of emitted energy rather than capturing significant detail.

Imaging EO/IR systems are used to detect what are known as extended targets, and can also be used to detect point targets. EO/IR imaging systems may aim to capture full detail of extended targets in the same way as other camera systems, or may capture images of the sky and then look for point targets within that image.

EO/IR Technologies

EO/IR technologies include scanning and staring systems. Scanning systems use a linear array of one or more rows of detectors, and sweep this array across the scene. Staring systems use a rectangular array of detectors to capture an entire image at once.

EO/IR Sensors

EO/IR sensors may capture light in the visible and ultraviolet wavelengths, as well as short, medium and long-wave infrared (SWIR/MWIR/LWIR). The choice of wavelengths will depend on the application of the system and the targets it is designed to detect. The IR cameras may be cooled or uncooled, with cooled systems typically offering longer range and greater sensitivity but being bulkier and more expensive.

EO/IR Gimbals & Mounts

EO/IR systems may be enclosed in pods or stabilized gimbals for easy mounting on aircraft, helicopters and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), or may be mounted on tripods and other structures for fixed-site applications such as base defense and counter-UAS.

Products (8)

HD55

High-performance stabilized gimbal with advanced GPS-aided inertial navigation

High-performance stabilized gimbal with advanced GPS-aided inertial navigation
The HD55 is a class-leading EO/IR camera gimbal housed in a robust enclosure with environmental seal...
HD80

Large-format gimbal with LWIR and MWIR thermal imaging options

Large-format gimbal with LWIR and MWIR thermal imaging options
The HD80 is a powerful camera gimbal with best-in-class stability and a robust housing with environm...
HD80-AIM

AI-powered wide-area maritime surveillance gimbal for manned & unmanned aircraft

AI-powered wide-area maritime surveillance gimbal for manned & unmanned aircraft
... camera gimbal system designed to search vast areas of ocean efficiently and autonomously, massively...
HD95

Advanced tactical EO/IR gimbal payload purpose-built for US Army

Advanced tactical EO/IR gimbal payload purpose-built for US Army
...satile imaging system also incorporates a night vision-compatible laser pointer, a laser...
HD25

Low-SWaP EO or EO/IR gimbal with geopointing capabilities

Low-SWaP EO or EO/IR gimbal with geopointing capabilities
The HD25 is Trillium's smallest and lightest camera gimbal, housed in a machined magnesium enclosure...
HD40

Drone camera gimbal with powerful zoom and integrated laser pointer

Drone camera gimbal with powerful zoom and integrated laser pointer
The HD40 is a lightweight and compact stabilized gimbal housed in a machined magnesium enclosure wit...
HD45

Durable low-SWaP gimbal with optical zoom-capable EO and IR cameras

Durable low-SWaP gimbal with optical zoom-capable EO and IR cameras
The HD45 is a lightweight and compact EO/IR camera gimbal housed in a machined magnesium enclosure w...
Merio Gyro-Stabilized Gimbals

Compact EO & IR imaging gimbals for UAVs

Compact EO & IR imaging gimbals for UAVs
...ly for UAVs in military and defense operations. Designed with precision and performance in mind,...

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