Thermal Targets develops a large range of tank and armoured vehicle thermal targets designed to assist with live training for target acquisition in the defence industry.
Our unique thermal targets for defence
We have a patented acrylic conductive paint that, when applied to any non-conductive surface, can be plugged into a low-voltage/battery, and the target will heat up with a controllable thermal signature.
Marketplace thermal targets
The most available targets currently in the market rely on passive heat reflection to create thermal definition, using reflective tape and passive targets with black and white designs. In Australia, many defence units are still using very primitive ideas to emulate heat signatures such as hot coals and electric blankets.
We have an enormous organic interest in offering this exclusive area of training with thermal targets. It appears the rise and development of thermal scopes and detection has outrun the testing processes.
There are an expensive heated solution. However, no one can provide a cheap ‘throw-away’ concept that is reliable, cost-effective, tested, and suitable to blow up.
Target types for the army
We have been working directly with the army in refining two distinct products:
- Small arms/ sniper targets -good for calibrating scope and live training with both pop-up and fix-styled structures
- Large targets for tank & armed vehicle live fire exercise.
The targets can be shot many times and will continue to work as long as the electrode is intact. Similarly, unlike wire technology, heat paint will continue to function even if shot numerous times.
Target acquisition
We are also skilled at connecting to existing target field systems, and our product can be integrated or operated as a stand-alone. The thermal target can assist tank crews in spotting enemy pop-up shapes on 5km tank field training exercises.
We are a small and creative onsite to analyse and find simple solutions that would otherwise involve years of collaboration. We understand different environments require unique designs and have developed solutions for waterproofing with overcoats and encapsulation, multiple fire & solutions to repair, fast heat-up rate within five to ten seconds and cool down.
Target patent
We have coated our targets with our (USA/World patented ) low-voltage acrylic paint, and when plugged into the battery or low-voltage power, the target heats up. The core of our patent is a TCR of 0, meaning our carbon /graphite formulation in various resins has a close to zero change in resistance when electrical current is applied. This unique property ensures the product doesn’t ‘run away’ to combustion under an electrical charge.
Thermal target applications for the defence industry
There are many other potential uses for our products, and we are keen to explore them with you.
Our range of low-voltage heating elements is uniquely suitable for defence, as a power supply in remote locations can be limiting. Some ideas we have discussed:
- Warmth for medical emergency
- Food warming
- Comprehensive aerial view decoy campsites
- Low-voltage cooktops. We have a high-temperature glass frit that can be enamelled to high-temperature glass.
- Equipment/communication batteries operating in below-0 temperatures
- Heated clothing panels: Our heating elements solve these uses and can be created on any non-conductive surface.
- Thermal countermeasure systems
Product for you to trial
The product speaks for itself, and perhaps the first step is to send you some finished target products along with some paint for you to experiment with. We would love the opportunity to present to your team in Teams or Zoom meetings.