Operating Range Analysis of Infrared Detection System to a Stealth Aircraft

To estimate the operating range of an infrared(IR)detection system to a certain stealth aircraft,a simplified model of aircraft is built up.The radiant intensity distributions in 3μm~5 μm from three major IR radiation sources,including the aircraft skin,engine spouts and exhaust plumes are calculated.The radiation attenuation in the atmosphere are considered,then a operating range equation of IR detection system to a aircraft is given,and a step-by-step approximation method is presented for obtaining the feasible solution to the equation.Finally,for a case,operating ranges are gained at various weather environment and detecting angle.The result improves that when IR detection system detects a stealth aircraft,the visibility range is farther,its detecting distance is greater,and the detecting distance backward is greater than forward.