Abstract: An incrementally controllable, variable contrast, passive, infrared target nit comprised of a sandwich of three plates. The center plate is incrementally slidable between the front and rear plates and has at least a perforation pattern therein which is disposed behind at least a cut-out in the front plate. The front and center plates are painted with high emissivity paint and the rear plate has a low emissivity front surface except for at least a pattern of high emissivity areas painted thereon identical to the perforation pattern. By adjusting the position of the center plate the unit can be incrementally controlled from maximum contrast where none of the high emissivity area of the pattern on the rear plate is behind the perforations on the center plate to zero contrast where only the high emissivity areas are behind the perforations.