Cohu Spectrum LWIR Long-Wave Thermal Camera with 17-Micron Detector for Vehicle and Turret Integration

The Cohu Spectrum LWIR is the long-wave thermal camera designed for direct mechanical and electrical integration in armored vehicle turrets, remote weapon stations (RWS), and fixed surveillance towers — environments where commercial thermal cameras fail due to connector incompatibility, absence of standard military video interfaces, or inability to operate in the extreme thermal range of a vehicle compartment that can exceed +60°C in desert operations.

The 17-micron pixel pitch microbolometer — the finest available in the uncooled category — allows the 640×480 px detector to occupy a focal area of only 10.9×8.2 mm, reducing the objective diameter needed to achieve a field of view equivalent to 25-micron detectors, resulting in a 35% reduction in the outer diameter of the optical assembly and enabling camera mounting in compact 7.62mm caliber RWS turrets where available camera space is under 80mm in diameter. The <30 mK NETD at f/1.0 — thermal sensitivity equivalent to detecting a one-third degree Celsius temperature difference in the field of view — allows detecting a person in position at 1.2 km and a vehicle at 3.5 km in total darkness conditions.

The dual video interface — analog NTSC/PAL and digital SDI on the same connector — allows simultaneously connecting the camera to the turret operator's vision monitor (analog, in the vehicle) and the digital mission recorder (SDI, for high-resolution forensic recording) without signal splitters or additional converters. The MIL-DTL-38999 circular connector with key A positioning pin guarantees correct connector orientation in total darkness and with gloves.