Abstract: An infrared multi-target hardware-in-the-loop simulation system is proposed to provide cooperative targets during lab debugging for a panoramic multitarget tracking infrared staring system. The system consists of several controllable heat sources, each of which is installed on a three-dimensional moving table and incorporates a uniformly-heated plate and a temperature controller. Targets in different distances and different sizes were simulated by changing the diaphragm aperture and the temperature distribution, while different target tracks were simulated with heat sources at different velocities and directions. Finally, 600 frames of three infrared simulated targets were acquired and processed, and the whole process of track overlapping, intersection and detachment was simulated, which demonstrated the feasibility and accuracy of this experimental platform.