The end of the era of analog night vision devices
Night vision technology has advanced significantly over the past decade. These portable devices first appeared in the troops in 1960-s, then they acted on the principles of light amplification. Thus, under moonlight or starlight, troops could better observe what was happening than their opponent could. In the following decades, these devices became smaller, lighter and more powerful.
Recently, the development of night vision has accelerated and became more revolutionary. The latter of them use digital light amplification technology. Until now, light amplification was analog. However, digital devices provide much more gain (up to 300 times), the software clears a muddy picture, or quickly adjusts the gain of the device, so that the user moving from the dark to the lighted room does not receive temporary blinding. Digital images can be easily transmitted wirelessly. New digital glasses weigh 680 gr and are successfully used by special operations forces. New digital light amplification technology works quite well and with the existing thermal vision technology, quickly using data from both systems to produce an even more accurate image for the user.
The advantages of digital light amplification were immediately noted by the troops when they received new night-vision devices (NVD) at their disposal in the combat zone. The US Army began getting ENVG (Enhanced Night Vision Goggle) night-vision goggles mounted on a helmet as early as 2009, and received an even more advanced SENVG (Spiral Enhanced Night Vision Goggles) system in 2011. The main advantage of SENVG is a much sharper, full-color image. Troops received for testing these devices refused to return them. SENVG is more expensive than its predecessors and the initial order for them was less than a thousand instruments. Since then, the order has been tripled, but in spite of this, SENVG stands out only for the divisions that especially need them.
Field tests of the original ENVG night vision device (AN / PAS13) took place in the 2005 year. This device worked with the current AN / PVS-14 night vision device (using light amplification), but also had the ability to use a thermal image (to distinguish the difference in heat generation). The more troops marched into Afghanistan, the more important the ENVG became for successful combat at night. ENVGs were so successful that the army ordered 50000 devices so that all troops in the combat zone could be equipped with them. ENVGs have proven to be especially useful for detecting enemy militants hiding (in vegetation) at night. Troops equipped with an ENVG have 50-and percent probability of detecting militants hiding in vegetation at a distance of 300 meters and 80-percent probability at a distance of 150 meters. This makes it much more difficult to organize ambushes against US forces at night. Since militants rarely have night vision devices, they have to rely on sounds and fleeting glimpses of approaching Americans. This means that American troops must be closer than 50 meters to the enemy before he can open fire. Thus, ENVG provide an extremely important advantage at night. It also served as a great help for raising American morality and vice versa for the Taliban morality. SENVG NVD further increases the American advantage.
ENVGs have become so popular due to the combination of the old technology of enhancing light with a thermal night sight. This combined device weighs about one kilogram. The old thermal ENVG weighed 864 g, while the AN / PVS-13 light amplifier weighed 568 g, for a total of about a kilogram. The new sight is not only lighter, but more compact and easier to handle. It provides a total of usage for 15 hours (7.5 hours for a thermal imager and the same amount of light booster). In most cases (starry sky or moonlight) light amplifier is enough. But where there is no other lighting (for example, in a building or in a cave) it is necessary to use a thermal imager. The thermal imager also allows you to see through fog and sandstorms.
Just ten years ago, thermal imagers were large and bulky and only available on vehicles (Tanks M-1 and BMP Bradley). However, after 2006, smaller and lighter thermal imagers appeared on the market. US Army Special Forces have been using these lightweight thermal imagers with great success from the start of their development.
Field tests of a combined instrument with light amplification and a thermal imager began in the 2008 year, and it has established itself as a popular and reliable instrument. The former thermal imagers were also very popular, but wearing both night sights did not cause much excitement. At first, the plans of the American army did not include the equipping of all combat units with a more expensive combined sight. However, the situation changed as soon as laudatory reports about ENVG came directly from the divisions and how many lives were saved thanks to him. Not all non-combat units will be equipped with ENVG, but in each of them there will be some ENVG. The army found money ($ 770 million) for the purchase of more than 50 000 new ENVG for about $ 15 000 for each.
SENVGs proved to be equally expensive and difficult to manufacture, and were primarily received by the Special Forces and SEALs. New technology in SENVG will be applied armory sights, as well as in night vision devices of vehicles. It's the same with the new fully digital technology.
Information