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Comment by ChikkaChiChi | Hacker News Reader

I purchased one a few years back. The lack of range and incredibly low frame rate make it virtually useless for anything more than a few feet away. I think it's meant mostly to upsell to the more expensive handhelds.

Frankly, I'm shocked we haven't seen an alternative in this segment

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The frame rate is a US government limitation. Turns out they get huffy if you start selling high-frame-rate (defined as >9fps?) LWIR cameras.

Is that because it would ease creating all aspect heat seeking weapons?

Yes, and particularly because some of the, hmm, "good" players out there still haven't developed domestic capabilities. I'm talking about Russia.

This is the kind of stuff that should've been completely sanctioned for decades. It's just completely fucked up to find western IR sensors in guided ammunition used against civilians in Ukraine.

EDIT: details: https://infraredcameras.com/thermal-camera-export-restrictio...

ITAR, described in the link, is one thing. There is also the Wassenaar arrangement[1].

[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassenaar_Arrangement

Doesn't Russia have the AA-11 (R-73)?

[edit]

Some brief research indicates that the AIM-9X and ASRAAM may both have wider off-boresight and IRCCM compared to the AA-11, with the IR sensor possibly contributing to this.

Decent infrared sensors are actually rather expensive. On top of that, the even better ones are under export controls because Russia is so bad at this game that they cannot manufacture their own sensors, thus banning exports actually makes a difference. Many of the intelligent missiles destroying Ukraine have French or other components in them. Same goes for fire control systems in tanks, or goggles used by infantry or pilots.

EDIT: details: https://infraredcameras.com/thermal-camera-export-restrictio...

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