Friendly fire is not friendly.
The mayhem caused by impaired visibility due to darkness, torrential rains, wicked sandstorms, fires, heavy smoke, etc.. all lead to a potential high-risk friendly fire tragedy.
When wartime battles are reported, seldom does the report talk about the number of friendly fire incidents.
The focus is on the winners and losers. Yet the mistaken identity of friendly forces results in 2 – 20% of the battlefield casualties. Recorded military history shows friendly fire deaths occurred in every major conflict.
George Washington survived his friendly fire, but Stonewall Jackson (Civil War) was not so fortunate. More recently the Pat Tillman story brought the issue to the surface. Pat was a successful NFL football player who gave it all up to serve his country. He was shot and killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan.
Recently a Tactical Flight officer from a helicopter unit told me he could not ID his officers below. “It was chaos,” he shared. He was desperate for a solution to ID his help on the ground.
Friendly fire is not limited to military operations. Law Enforcement officers and units are equally at risk with identifying who is who and where they are.
Fortunately, infrared cameras and devices are stepping up and minimizing friendly deaths. Working in tandem with these technologies to protect the soldiers and police are IR identification patches.
Night Vision Enhances Visibility and Identification
Infrared cameras are commonly called Night Vision and Thermal cameras or imagers. The cameras provide eyes in the darkest dark and cut through thick smoke or low-visibility storms. In other words, the invisible becomes visible.
In addition, the cameras are incredible for detecting action and movement in a scene.
Yet they fail to capture fine details on a face, uniform, weapon or tactical gear.
For this reason, a high-quality infrared identification patch is crucial to saving lives.
The infrared (IR) patch attached to a soldier, officer, or gear, is detected by a night vision or thermal device. All friendlies are confirmed when the patch glows the ID.
The enhanced visibility and quick ID of the IR patch results in a safe operation.
Tactical Advantage of Your Field IR Patch
The IR patch gives a tactical edge, especially in a special or covert operation.
It gives soldiers or officers the power to move about undetected by the enemy. At the same time, they are visible to their unit with the Night Vision devices. They glide stealthily in the shadows without fear of friendly fire.
Communication and coordination of each maneuver are in sync with command and control.
No more confusion or chaos, the focus is on getting the job done.
High-Quality IR patches are a matter of life and death
Beware, not all infrared patches are the same high quality. All military and law enforcement professionals should carefully vet the IR patch they choose to protect themselves from friendly fire.
IR.Tools recommends a 3 point checklist for your IR patch:
1. Does your patch resist white light reflection? Your covert IR patch should only reflect an infrared laser or sensor. Shine a flashlight on the patch. If your patch glows or reflects the light, it could put you in a dangerous situation.
2. Does your patch glow up to 700m? If the glow of the patch is dim and can’t be seen at a distance you are at risk. Double-check the glow radius.
3. Does water or debris seep into the seams of patch? The honeycomb style IR patches are built with a 2 layer process. If the layers are not sealed properly, water and debris compromise the patch. It falls apart, glows less, and you fall into a threatening situation. IR.Tools 1-layer, tiny micro prism patches glow 250% brighter and resist all moisture and debris.
Top-Notch Customized Patches are a click away!
Do you desire a custom patch that embodies your unit’s identity AND protects against friendly fire?
You don’t have to be stuck with a blah IR patch.
Our meticulous design process will carefully analyze your slogan, logo or insignia and add a personalized swag to display your unit’s morale in a customized patch.
Without compromising your safety!
In the end, your military or law enforcement custom patch will be a perfect blend of pride and style.
Minimize Friendly Fire Mishaps
Despite all training efforts, friendly fire dangers will always be a threat.
Friend or Foe (IFF) IR patches have been proven to minimize this threat.
The advancement in infrared sensor devices readily identifies an IR patch to safely ID soldiers and police to prevent a friendly fire casualty.
Keep in mind, not all IR patches are built the same. A high-quality IR patch will:
- Resist white light reflection
- Glow up to 700m
- Resist water and debris seepage
IR. Tools Trusted SandStorm Technology™ IR Patches
Since 2006, IR.Tools has provided over 10 million IR patches to the US Military and Allied Forces all over the world.
A SandStorm Technology™ patch is an IR patch you can trust.
SandStorm Technology™ uses perfectly formed micro prisms built on one seamless layer. Each patch has over 100K fitted micro prisms to reduce air gaps and provide maximum glow and durability. No water seepage here!
Contact us today and get started on a bold, unique custom patch with your favorite slogan, logo, call sign or insignia.
A limited number of IR patches are available in the IR.Tools store.
Contact us if you don’t see what you are looking for!
Since 2006, Tom has been the driving force behind IR.Tools, dedicated to delivering top-notch infrared solutions to the military, law enforcement, and sportsmen communities.
What began with a single infrared patch has blossomed into a comprehensive store featuring hundreds of IFF patches, vehicle IFF, an extensive suite of thermal training targets, and tools for drone pilots.
Beyond his innovative products, Tom is passionate about educating users on infrared technology and showcasing how advancements in IR can enhance their operations.
Tom holds an MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland and an MBA from Regents University.
