Night vision Gear: Anybody using it?

[Hawk200]

A curiosity question, pretty much.

Is anyone using things like IR or FLIR type equipment in a "field" environment? Not talking about the stuff used on aircraft as shown in another thread, but handheld or "head mounted" stuff?

I know, the stuff is very spendy, but was wondering if anyone was actually doing it.

[GZCP31]

Some sUAS have it. Other than that, I do have a night vision scope I have been known to carry when it is needed. It is limited to about 75 Yards as it is IR enhanced. I bought it originally for eradicating wild hogs on my property. It is about 1 ft long and 2" in diameter. Bought it from Sportsman's guide a few years ago. Works well. Weighs under a pound.

Flir gear that would help for ground team is cost prohibitive.

[Spam]

About 20 years ago, I took three units out on some missions (training/actual SAR missions) with my team, with very little added capability in east coast wooded mountainous terrain, in quarter moon to full moon (did not get to use them tactically in starlight with no cultural lighting). We ended up not appreciating the additional bulk/weight.

Nine or so years ago I briefly repeated the experiment with some modern nogs (borrowed 4949s with minus blue, good stuff) and we came to the same conclusion. A visually dark-adapted team moving through hilly rough clutter needed lightness and flexibility more than the marginal ability to resolve additional detail.

V/r
Spam

[CAPed Crusader]

I know it can be authorized by wing for certain SAR missions. That's as much as I know about this.

[TheSkyHornet]

I know it can be authorized by wing for certain SAR missions. That's as much as I know about this.

It's already authorized by NHQ.


CAPR 60-3, 1.30:

Prohibited Equipment. CAP is often offered equipment that is not appropriate to our
mission or is not reasonable for our personnel to use because of the training time required for
personnel to remain proficient.

a. Restrictions for the use of night vision devices by CAP personnel during any flight
operations can be found in CAPR 60-1. Representatives of other agencies may use their own
equipment. CAP ground resources may use night vision devices in support of SAR/DR
operations while on foot or as passengers in vehicles. Use of night vision devices by drivers
during motor vehicle operations is prohibited.

Quality, "cheap" NVGs are going to run $2,000. All-weather field operations NVGs are going to be nearing $10,000. Panoramic NVGs, like what you see with SEAL teams, are about $40,000.

[Spam]

Quality, "cheap" NVGs are going to run $2,000. All-weather field operations NVGs are going to be nearing $10,000. Panoramic NVGs, like what you see with SEAL teams, are about $40,000.

Fun note:
yours truly did the ground integration testing and flight test series of the new 4949 tube PNVGs on the F-22.  Good times, nights out at Edwards... even with the low PNVG profiles we had to watch for scratching the canopy with them due to the tight Raptor canopy loft. The even newer white phosphor ones are pretty impressive, if you've seen them. I've looked at them for another combat customer who is using the white nogs at low alt with an integrated HMD. Pretty cool.

Not-so-fun note:
we had some serious safety concerns years ago regarding members buying the cheap Russian military surplus NVGs then flooding the market from the former Soviet Union. Testing at Brooks AFB had revealed that some of those units emitted hazardous levels of ionizing radiation. Thankfully, although they were very cheap, their quality was so low they've all aged out of consumer inventory and don't appear to be on the market any more. Quality matters!

Frivolous note:
One of the bright spots of the F-35 is the NG DAS (Distributed Aperture System) which scene stitches together video from multiple staring arrays based on missile launch detector technology, and presents it on the pilots HMD. Those MLDs are mid wave IR (3-5 micron) not near IR like nogs (I was on the NAVAIR team which sponsored the original MIDAS S&T work, and subsequently was the JSFPO PVI/cockpit lead for its transition into the jet). One of the interesting CAP capabilities now coming on board is the multi-camera (visual spectrum) digital airborne photography package. Sooooo... how cool would it be to present an all-aspect mini-DAS on a CAP aircraft, and look down through the structure to see your visual target?

(No, I'm not serious with that last...)    but stupider things have been tried on JSF...

Cheers
Spam

[Hawk200]

Fun note:
yours truly did the ground integration testing and flight test series of the new 4949 tube PNVGs on the F-22.  Good times, nights out at Edwards... .

Edwards, eh? Whenabouts was that?

[Spam]

NECRO THREAD.... ARISE!!!

That would have been the fall of 2005, actually. Towards the end of F-22 EMD. The PNVGs (4x array instead of 2 tubes) was just coming on line as well.

V/r
Spam

[Hawk200]

NECRO THREAD.... ARISE!!!

That would have been the fall of 2005, actually. Towards the end of F-22 EMD. The PNVGs (4x array instead of 2 tubes) was just coming on line as well.

V/r
Spam

Yeah, sorry bout that, I was curious. Was at Edwards, '90-'94. Joined Squadron 84 back in '94. Did quake relief after the Northridge quake.

[Spam]

NECRO THREAD.... ARISE!!!

That would have been the fall of 2005, actually. Towards the end of F-22 EMD. The PNVGs (4x array instead of 2 tubes) was just coming on line as well.

V/r
Spam

Yeah, sorry bout that, I was curious. Was at Edwards, '90-'94. Joined Squadron 84 back in '94. Did quake relief after the Northridge quake.

I went to Edwards routinely in the 90s (while you were there), and still go occasionally (more usually Tucson, and places in NV now). We probably knew the same people. There's a couple of good active CAP units there. When I was teaching at USN TPS (and on my second command tour, at the St. Marys CAP Sqdn. at Pax River MD) my opposite at USAF TPS and I were sharing notes during a visit to Edwards one morning. He commented on CAP, and turned out he was flying with the Lancaster unit.  CAP has a lot of that... we are the dorky hidden fraternity of DoD (LOL).

Cheers
Spam