---
title: "Army Developing Tech to ID Terrorists in the Dark From .5 KM Away"
description: "The U.S. Army is developing tech that uses facial recognition software to identify targets from up to .5 kilometers away, even in the dark."
date: "2020-01-15"
modified: "2020-01-15"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin Houser"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kristin"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/army-developing-tech-id-terrorists-dark-5-km-away"
categories:
  - "Artificial Intelligence"
tags:
  - "facial recognition"
  - "military"
  - "terrorism"
  - "the digest"
---

# Army Developing Tech to ID Terrorists in the Dark From .5 KM Away

![The U.S. Army is developing tech that uses facial recognition software to identify targets from up to .5 kilometers away, even in the dark.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/army-developing-tech-id-terrorists-dark-5-km-away.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: USPTO/Polaris\</em\>*

## Target Identified

The United States Army is currently building a super-charged facial recognition system — tech that could be ready for action as soon as next year.

The system, as described in a new [*One Zero* story](<https://onezero.medium.com/the-military-is-building-long-range-facial-recognition-that-works-in-the-dark-4f752fa713e6>), analyzes infrared images of a person's face to see if they're a match for anyone on a government watchlist, such as a known terrorist. Not only will the finished system reportedly work in the dark, through car windshields, and even in less-than-clear weather conditions — but it'll also be able to ID individuals from up to 500 meters away.

## Army Agreements

*One Zero* tracked down two military contracts for the development of the tech.

One grants $2.8 million to [Cyan Systems](<https://www.usaspending.gov/#/award/CONT_AWD_W909MY19C0019_9700_-NONE-_-NONE->), a California-based company specializing in infrared sensor technology. The [other](<https://www.usaspending.gov/#/award/CONT_AWD_W911QX19C0035_9700_-NONE-_-NONE->) gives regular government contractor [Polaris Sensor Technologies](<https://www.usaspending.gov/#/award/CONT_AWD_W911QX19C0035_9700_-NONE-_-NONE->) $1.5 million to develop the facial recognition system.

The start date for both contracts is listed as September 2019, with an estimate end date of September 2021.

## Next Steps

As pointed out by *One Zero*, these contracts aren't the first evidence that the US military is interested in owning a long-range, high-tech facial recognition system — in September 2018, the Army Research Lab [published](<https://www.dsiac.org/resources/news/army-develops-face-recognition-technology-works-dark>) some of its own research in the field.

However, the contracts confirm that the underlying tech is one step closer to helping the Army identify targets from a distance — possibly keeping soldiers out of harm's way altogether.

**READ MORE:** [The Military Is Building Long-Range Facial Recognition That Works in the Dark](<https://onezero.medium.com/the-military-is-building-long-range-facial-recognition-that-works-in-the-dark-4f752fa713e6>) \[*One Zero*\]

**More on facial recognition:** *[The US Army’s Next Rifle May Use Facial Recognition](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/us-army-facial-recognition-rifle>)*

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjhouser>)