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Originally Posted by alexkvaskov  Does anyone know the maximum identification range of a modern commander or gunner's thermal imager against a tank? From what I've read, this figure is anywhere between 2500 and 3500m for most Western thermal sights, can anyone confirm this? |
Effective thermal range is still very much dependent on weather conditions. For the Leopard 2 gunner thermal, in optimal conditions, that is cold but dry weather, reliable identification of up to ~4.000 m is possible. In rainy, foggy or all hot weather this range decreases noticeably. How much, depends on the actual weather.
That said, the Leo 2-gunners' thermal (EMES 15) is far from new, its 1980's tech. A truly state-of-the-art thermal sight might be less affected by weather conditions.
However, i want to stress that I always felt the limit is not the thermal technology in itself, it is rather the low resolution of the screen and the 4x/12x magnification. With a 20x magnification and a modern HD screen you could look far beyond your shooting range.
