Night-Vision Sensors

Night-Vision Sensors
www.findarticles.com (2005-04-18)

U.S. Army night-vision and sensor programs and activities include day/night, all-weather mobility and engagement sensors; all-weather imagery; passive and radar target acquisition sensors; artillery and mortar-locating radars; and advanced sensors for the Army’s Future Force. These systems provide critical, on-the-ground, direct support to U.S. forces deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). One key area is thermal sensors, which dramatically increases the lethality and survivability of U.S. Army soldiers. These sensors read the heat signature from distant objects, such as personnel or vehicles, day or night, penetrating smoke, fog and obscurants. The First-Generation Forward-Looking Infrared Systems (FLIR) are currently used in the pilotage and targeting thermal imaging systems in the AH-64A attack helicopter, MlAl and M60 tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and TOW and TOW II missile systems. The systems themselves are supported by thermal-imaging common modules, a series of subcomponents that perform the function of optical to electrical conversion, thus allowing the thermal battlefield to be converted into a visual image. The thermal-imaging common modules are made up of detector dewars, cryogenic coolers, light-emitting diode arrays, mechanical scanners, optical imagers and collimators, and electronic circuit cards. The second-Generation Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) provides an integrated high-performance second-generation thermal sensor to the Army’s premier groundbased battlefield platforms. The secondgeneration FLIR is a long-wavelength scanning system with advanced digital image processing. The detector for this assembly is the Army’s standard advanced dewar assembly, type II, using a cryogenically cooled mercury cadmium telluride focal plane array. The program produces a common FLIR sensor (the B-kit), which is integrated into each specific platform application through the use of a unique A-kit. The second-generation FLIR has been successfully integrated and tested in the Abrams MIA2 systems enhancement package (SEP) gunner’s primary sight; the MIA2 SEP commander’s independent thermal viewer; the M2A3 improved Bradley acquisition system; the M2A3 commander’s independent viewer; and the long-range advanced scout surveillance system (LRAS3). Now in its eighth year of production, more than 2,500 B-kits have been built and fielded. Second-generation FLIRs are currently supporting operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in the Abrams SEP tank, Bradley A3, LRAS3 Scout Humvees, Stryker reconnaissance vehicle systems and in the family of AN/PAS-13 thermal weapon sights (heavy and light). The AN/AVS-7 Aviator’s Night-Vision Imaging System Heads-Up Display (AN-VIS HUD) is a post-Operation Desert Storm enhancement to the AN/AVS-6. The system collects and displays critical flight information from aircraft sensors and converts it into visual imagery, allowing the pilot heads-up flying without the need to continuously look down at the instrument panel. The HUD senses critical flight data (altitude, airspeed, attitude, torque, compass heading and so on) and transmits the data to the goggles. The data are overlaid on the goggle imagery to provide the pilot with integrated night scene and critical flight data symbology. This technology gives significant operational advantages and increases safety during night missions. Army inventories include approximately 1,900 ANVIS HUD systems for use on the UH-60A/L and CH-47D platforms. Recent activities have included a HUD retrofit to establish compatibility between ANVIS HUD and GPS-upgrades to the UH-60A/L and CH-47D platforms. In September 1999 the first advanced HUD systems were received in an upgrade effort to further enhance 1,200 of the Army’s ANVIS HUD units. The advanced HUDs are field-programmable, have reduced latency and contain upgrade features for future video capabilities. AN/PVS-7D Night-Vision Goggles are head- or helmet-mounted devices used by soldiers during night operations, such as driving, walking, giving first aid, map reading and doing maintenance tasks. This passive system allows the user to detect and recognize a human-size target at a range of 150 meters under starlit conditions. The goggles are designed for use with rifle-mounted aiming lights. The AN/PVS-10 Night-Vision Sniper Night Sight is an integrated day or night sight for the M24 sniper rifle system. The AN/PVS-10 design includes both day and night optical channels, with the night channel incorporating a third-generation image intensifier. This design provides snipers the ability to acquire and engage targets under day and night conditions. The 2.2-kilogram system mounts to the existing rail of the M24 and uses the standard mil-dot reticule. Each Stryker brigade combat team is authorized 30 systems. Fielding to the first Stryker brigade took place in FY 2002. The AN/PVS-14 Monocular Night-Vision Device (MNVD) is a head- or helmetmounted image intensifier device incorporating a third-generation image intensifier tube. The AN/PVS-14 provides leaders of combat infantry units enhanced observation and command arid control capabilities. The lightweight (14 ounces) and monocular design provide operational flexibility to leaders, allowing retention of optimized night vision in one eye. Alternatively, the AN/PVS-14 can also be mounted on a small-arms sighting rail. The AN/TVS-5 Crew-Served Weapon Sight is a long-range night-vision sight using a second-generation image intensifier tube that is used on crew-served weapons, including the Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher and the M2 .50-caliber machine gun. The current AN/TVS-5A refurbishment and upgrade program will replace second-generation image intensifiers with third-generation sensors. The enhanced performance of the AN/TVS-5 A provides soldiers with target acquisition and engagement at ranges up to 1,380 meters under a quarter moon, approximately a 50 percent improvement over the existing AN/TVS-5 systems. In June 2001, the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) was the first unit to be equipped with the AN/TVS-5A. Approximately 8,500 AN/ TVS-5 systems have received the upgrade. AN/PVS-5( ) Night-Vision Goggles are a second-generation head-mounted image intensification device that permits the individual soldier to perform a wide variety of tasks at night. These tasks include walking, operating vehicles, surveillance, map reading, doing maintenance, giving first aid and engaging enemy targets with direct rifle fire when used in conjunction with the AN/PAQ-4 aiming light. The AN/PVS-5( ) is binocular and uses two MX-9916,18 mm image-intensifying tubes. The AN/PVS-4 and 4A IndividualServed Weapon Scope provides passive sighting and viewing of targets using second- and third-generation image intensifier techniques. When mounted on individual weapons, the scope will deliver accurately aimed fire during hours of darkness. The system is easily installed and removed from the weapon using suitably designed brackets, which require no modification to the weapon. A protective objective daylight cover provides the capability for daylight bore sighting of the weapon. The AN/PVS-4 is primarily designed for use with the M14, M16 and M4 rifles, M60 and M240B machine guns, M249 squad automatic weapon, M72A1 rocket launcher and M203 grenade launcher and M4 carbine. The system is supplied with a shipping case that protects it. The sight can be hand-held for night surveillance. Fielding is two per infantry squad. The AN/VVS-2 (V) IA, 2A, 3 and 4 Driver’s Night Viewer enables a closed-hatch vehicle to be driven during nighttime conditions using second- and third-generation image-intensifier techniques without active illumination. Differences between models mainly pertain to equipment variations in mount and head assemblies. The body of the driver’s viewer, however, is the same for all models below the mount assembly. The vehicles in which the viewers are installed are the Ml/PMl, M109A6, MlAl, M60A3, M88A1, M60A1, M2/M2A1, M728 and M2A2/M2A3. The AN/VAS-5 Driver’s Vision Enhancer (DVE) is a passive, uncooled thermal imaging system for drivers of combat and tactical wheeled vehicles. It allows continuous vehicle operations by day or night and in the presence of natural and man-made obscurants, such as smoke, fog and dust. The DVE’s sensor module contains a second-generation thermal imager that provides standard analog video to a high-quality flat-panel display and control module (a militarized commercial active matrix liquid-crystal display). The DVE video imagery can also be distributed to other vehicle crew displays. The display provides an additional input port for display maps and digitized battlefield information. The DVE can easily be adapted to any current or future U.S. or NATO combat and/or tactical wheeled vehicles.