target acquisition

military technology

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Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

Target acquisition is a crucial part of military fire control, historically relying on visual observation from ground personnel, balloons, and aircraft to identify targets. World War I introduced technical methods like sound ranging and flash spotting. Sound ranging used microphones to pinpoint enemy gun locations by analyzing sound wave travel times, while flash spotting involved observers noting the azimuth of gun flashes.1

While flash spotting became less common after 1945 due to flashless propellants, sound ranging remained significant. Modern advancements include infrared sensors for flash spotting and radar systems. Radar is versatile, used by ground forces for detecting shells and by aircraft for identifying enemy planes and surface targets.12

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artillery
Target acquisition
Until the second half of the 20th century, target acquisition—a vital part of fire control—was almost entirely visual, relying upon ground observers. This was augmented first by observation balloons and then, in World War II, by light aircraft, the object of both being…
Read More
Until the second half of the 20th century, target acquisition—a vital part of fire control—was almost entirely visual, relying upon ground observers. This was augmented first by observation balloons and then, in World War II, by light aircraft, the object of both being…
Read More