1981 - LANTIRN IR Signature Flight Tests
Shortly after I started working at Hughes Aircraft Company, I became Systems Engineer or Project Manager of the LANTIRN IR Signature Flight Tests.
LANTIRN stood for "low-altitude night terrain infrared navigation." It was part of an anti-tank missile system where the aircraft would fly at low altitudes, undetected, at night.
The objective of the project was to measure the infrared signatures of tanks and battlefield scenes.
I took the following pictures (except the one of me) to document the project.
Convair 240
Outfitted Convair 240 test plane parked at King City, California airport. This is the aircraft we used for out tests.
Ron in cockpit
Close-up of the Convair 240. The nosecone of a Maverick missle is sticking out the front of the aircraft. Undereath is an night-sight pod from an A-4 Navy aircraft. I'm in the pilot seat (just for show).
Mock battlefield scene
Mock battlefield scenario, at Fort Hunter-Liggett, California, with Armed Personnel Carriers and M-60 tanks.