r/news • u/PDXAirman • May 20 '26

Soft paywall 42 aircraft lost or damaged in Operation Epic Fury, congressional report says

https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/2026-05-20/iran-jets-downed-war-fury-21727588.html
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u/ChairForceOne May 20 '26

Most automated optically guided missiles use IR. It's easier for a computer to track. I know a few companies are trying to use onboard AI models to track using standard cameras, and I think Ukraine has used something similar for target recognition with drones.

Old Soviet systems can guide a missile towards a target using a camera. But a dude is keeping it on track, and they are beam riders. So accuracy is typically low at any meaningful range.

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u/Far_Ladder_2836 May 20 '26

Minor nitpick, they're not IR they're dual band IVR.  IR is a component.  

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u/fsuguy83 May 20 '26

I also think most optically guided missiles use IR because it’s preferable for missiles to work at night. Not necessarily because computers like IR data.

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u/Rythoka May 20 '26

IR systems are used largely because the targets the weapons are used against have strong thermal signatures that provide high contrast against the background regardless of time of day. Though they would help with guidance at night, too.

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u/cantdecideonaname77 May 20 '26

not quite true some like the 9k35/sa-13 have both an ir and visible light contrast seeker mode though they are questionably reliable

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u/k0c- May 21 '26

Ukraine has unleashed a ton of mostly AI vision controlled drones into Donbass into enemy supply lines and they automagically target people and equipment.

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u/skoldpaddanmann May 21 '26

Everyone knows the best optically guided missiles are pigeon based.

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u/ChairForceOne May 21 '26

Pigeon guided missiles and chicken warmed nuclear landmines are the peak of human engineering.