# Preliminary review FLIR Scout from JRH Enterprises



## FrankW (Mar 10, 2012)

My Scout II FLIR from JRH Industries arrived 10 days ago.

it comes with a nice carrying case that is MOLLE equipped
It comes with multi-country compatible charging equipment.
Also the USB arrangement ensures you cna recharge it form computers, solar chargers, many generators and portable cell fone reserve batteries.

I did not record any footage since it should charge 5 hrs on 1st use but here are some links:

at 1:50 is the portion most relevant to us:






I used a friends FLIR Scout II 240 a couple weeks ago and noticed that cattle that were completely invisible behind bushes (that could have hidden a Platoon!) now were easily seen:

This is similar:


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## FrankW (Mar 10, 2012)

Again,

when it comes to FLIR (a more powerful tool for scouting than PVS14 which is really a night fighting tool not a scouting tool tho it CAN do some scouting at night) it is not the all seeing eye of mordor.

Its effective but like all technology it needs to be cued and there are condtions in which it works poorly.

If you are ever up against lavishly equipped 1st world forces you cna still beat them even at night if your field craft is very good.
In many battle labs I've seen folks successfuly approach NVG equipped OPFOR and exfil successfully even if they did not have NVG.

Those who were successful were often experienced hunters with great Fieldcraft.. but conversely I also noticed that those who where detected via NVG often (not always, but often!) were detected because of mistakes in fieldcraft where used to cue to technology on them...

This stuff is great but don't despair if you don't have it and must fight at night.
Just food for thought folks


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## Balls004 (Feb 28, 2015)

Both NVG and FLIR technologies have their place, strengths and weaknesses as you point out BlueZ. Having both available in one platform would be the ideal situation, but is probably a few years off, and even more until it becomes affordable to those who pay their own bills.

I've been seriously considering adding FLIR to the arsenal, but only in a scouting role like you suggest. Right now I think that it is FLIR's biggest advantage over GEN 3 night vision, other than it's passive technology always versus NV with illuminators. The advantage of NV equipment though, is the ability to move and target which is much more difficult to to effectively with FLIR. If the resolution of affordable FLIR improves to the point that GEN 3 NV is at, then that would be a game changer in my opinion.

I'm looking forward to your reviews of how well it works for you in real world uses.


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## FrankW (Mar 10, 2012)

Balls004 said:


> I'm looking forward to your reviews of how well it works for you in real world uses.


This Winter I intend to do some night time exercises with my BOL fireteam some of which will be live-fire.

- Personally I will try to integrate the FLIR and PVS14/DBAL on my person as alone Wolf Scout team just as practice.. BUT....

- ...BUT since we have more people than hi tech and if we operate as afire team, I wonder if split with a FLIR (perhaps the point man or the Fireteam Ldr should carry that) and another individual gets the PVS14/DBAL combo as the team's primary firepower at night ....
This could be part of an operational concept for ,mixed equipped preppers maximizing their combat power with the gear they have.

- Once you go "hot" even a $150 gen 1 unit IMO for another member of your fireteam can be useful to add his weight of fire to that of your PVS14/DBAL equipped troop (Instant-on IR gun light also for the Gen1 guy maybe?) as part of a economical but effective Prepper NightFighter Team Concept.


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## Balls004 (Feb 28, 2015)

I'd think that you'd want FLIR with your point, because it's hard to detect motionless tangos with NV at distance, and you would have a better chance catching them with your thermal equipment. 

It's going to be a problem though if everyone doesn't have some level of NV capability. Those that don't will end up making an inordinate amount of racket trying to move blindly through wooded areas, even with some moonlight. It's tough to move quietly in some environments with good NV, so you can imagine what it would be like without that aid.

Nothing better than training though to find out what works and what doesn't, especially when Uncle Sammie isn't paying the bills.

Keep us posted...


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## smaj100 (Oct 17, 2012)

You guys are all correct both systems have pros & cons. Having been an ah64a/d instructor pilot flown in all terrain and weather I've used both systems extensively. You can hide from flir it isn't easy but it can be done. Like blue said if your craft is good it can be done. We've killed off a lot of the stupid isis, and taliban. The smart ones learn quick what works and doesn't work.

1st world forces is an entirely different story. I think the swedes have developed an active cloaking technology that can defeat flir. It's kinda wild makes a tank look like an animal in the woods or a simple car. This could be adapted to any vehicle, boat or individual soldier.


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