Abstract: Imaging technology has good potential in both security and defence applications due to its ability to present objects from long ranges in poor visibility. Imaging technology is used across the forces in a range of air, land and sea electro-optical sensor applications. In order to be fully aware of imaging technology capabilities it is necessary to understand how it will be affected by image degradation, which types it may be susceptible to, and how well it can support decision making during image recognition. The decision ladder method has previously been noted for its potential use and application in combat identification activities. Here it is used to integrate the literature and is discussed in relation to the task of image recognition, to demonstrate how the different components of recognition relate to the template and to illustrate how some of the different forms of degradation may impact on the constituent parts of the decision-making process.