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European night vision systems

Most armies have embraced the ambition of ‘every for extended surveillance missions. Most European capability since the start of the GWOT. Every member of
soldier a sensor’. To achieve this, every infantry soldier modernisation projects include systems in all a British infantry platoon is now equipped with an ITT
soldier must be able to observe, acquire targets three categories. Urgent operational requirements (UOR) Corporation Head Mounted Night Vision System
and accurately engage the enemy at night and in driven by the GWOT have in some instances, expedited (HMNVS), a monocular image intensification (II), which is
poor visibility. The ability to operate effectively at the acquisition and fielding of night vision systems in used in conjunction with a Laser Aiming Module fitted to
night has become particularly important for armies advance of comprehensive soldier system projects. The the soldier’s weapon. However, the HMNVS does not
committed to operations in Afghanistan and Iraq as British Army’s Future Integrated Soldier Technology (FIST) function effectively below a certain level of ambient light
part of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). is one example. Although the FIST Assessment Phase, while bright artificial light can cause the system to ‘white
launched in 2003, has demonstrated that while some out’. To overcome these shortcomings, each four man
Three categories of night vision systems are available for planned technologies are as yet too immature to be fire team, which is already equipped with two Qioptiq Kite
dismounted soldiers: weapon sights; helmet- or head- fielded, it also clearly showed that new surveillance and Common Weapon Sights (CWS), is also being equipped
mounted night vision goggles (NVGs); and, handheld target acquisition technology offers significant benefits. with a pair of Qioptiq Viper thermal imaging (TI) sights.
devices, some of which can be mounted on small tripods UORs have significantly boosted the infantry’s NV The UK’s Qioptiq (formed when Candover
Investments acquired Thales High Tech Optics) is one of
Europe’s leading optronics companies and produces a
wide range of weapon sights, NVGs and other NV
equipment at facilities in Europe and overseas. Originally
developed to meet the requirements of the British Army,
the Kite II sight is now in service in more than 50
countries. Besides two handheld variants the family now
includes three weapon sights:
The Kite, designate the CWS in UK service, is
designed for use on short and medium range weapons.
It weighs 990g, excluding its two AA batteries, and
provides 4X magnification enabling the user to recognise
a standing man at 500m in starlight conditions.
The MaxiKite-2 is designed for longer range
weapons such as 7.62mm and .50 calibre machine guns;
6X magnification enables recognition of a standing man
at 750m in starlight. The sight weights 1.36kg and two
AA batteries which provide up to 70 hours of life.
The 1X Sniperkite sight, which weighs less than
1.5kg, is designed to mounted in front of Schmidt &
Bender day sights, although it is compatible with ‘most’
other sniper rifle scopes. Two AA batteries provide up to
100 hours of continuous use.
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Qioptiq’s VIPIR-2 TI sight, here mounted on a Minimi 5.56mm light machine gun, has been bought by the Australian and British armies © Qioptiq

Volume 2 January 2009 www.soldiermod.com SoldierMod 21

Qioptiq’s Viper TI family, includes two handheld than 10km. It weighs 2.4kg and can be mounted on a to provide accurate target location out to 5km at night.
devices, and three sights: tripod for extended surveillance missions. The Sophie MF The J-TAS is scheduled to enter service later this year.
The 3X Vipir TI sight is intended for use on 5.56mm (Multi-Function), which weighs less than 3.5kg, combines In October 2008 Sagem Défense Sécurité, prime
weapons enabling a soldier to acquire a man at ranges the features of the Sophie with an eye-safe laser contractor for the French Army’s Fantassin à Equipement
of 400 to 600m. Four AA batteries provide six hours of rangefinder, a GPS, a direction finder and a laser et Liaisons INtégrées (FELIN) soldier system project,
use at moderate temperatures. pointing system. announced that it has selected the Thales Minie D NVG
The Vipir-2 TI sight is intended for use on 5.56mm, The Thales Lightweight Universal Night Observation for FELIN. Showcasing the Minie D at Eurosatory 2008
7.62mm and .50 calibre weapons enabling the firer to System (LUNOS) family consists of a common body, Thales claimed the system provides a 30 percent
detect a man at ranges up to 1,200m. It is available with several high speed objectives with different reduction in weight in comparison to current NVGs while
a 9° field of view and 2.7X magnification or a 6.5° field magnification factors (1X, 4X and 6X) and a number of providing a 20 percent improvement in optical
of view and 3.6X magnification. It is also powered by options, such as face mask, grip, monopod and reticle performance achieving a resolution ‘higher than existing
four AA batteries. for 6X. The accessories enable a LUNOS to lightweight HDTV’. The Minie D also incorporates an integrated
Qioptiq launched the SVipir-2+ at DSEi 2007. 1X magnification NVG to be reconfigured as a long OLED video which allows external data such as weapon
Powered by four AA batteries which provide up to six range, tripod mounted 6X surveillance device in only sight images or maps to be displayed. Thales is
hours of use the SViper-2+ is optimised to be mounted one minute. The Multiple Use Night Observation and confident that selection for FELIN will lead to sales for
in front Schmidt & Bender day sights enabling snipers to Aiming Sights (MUNOS) family is based on the same other future soldier systems.
detect a man at up to 1,500m. The sight weighs less modular approach. The common Tube Module with Sagem has developed three new weapon sights for
than 1.5kg. standard I2 tube can be used with the short range 4X FELIN. The FAMAS IR and FAMAS IL both incorporate two
Qioptiq UK received an initial contract from the UK WS4, medium range 6X WS6 or long range 10X WS 10 independent day/CCD video channels giving narrow and
Ministry of Defence In January 2007 to supply over 450 Body Module. The LION (Lightweight Infra-red wide fields of view. The FAMAS IR is an uncooled TI sight
Vipir-2s and the following month Thales Australia, acting Observation Night) sight is a hand-held, lightweight, capable of detecting a human at 600m while the FAMAS
as prime contractor, awarded Qioptiq a contract to uncooled thermal imaging viewer for day and night use; IL is an II sight able to detect a man at 500m. For use
supply the Vipir-2, spares and support for the Australian the latest variants are the LION Advance and the LION with the FRF2 7.62mm bolt-action sniper rifle snipers will
Army’s Land 125 Soldier Enhancement Programme. In Advance XP (for extended performance). be equipped with a Lunette FRF2 sight which
2008 the Vipir-2 was purchased by an unspecified by In February 2008 Thales UK received a £30m incorporates at a direct-view optical channel, an
NATO army. contract from the UK to supply more than 700 of its uncooled IR channel and a laser rangerfinder.
Thales Land & Joint Systems has sold more than latest Joint-Target Acquisition System (J-TAS) to meet the As part of the Infanterist der Zukunft (Infantryman
6,000 Sophie handheld TI binoculars to military, MoD’s Surveillance System and Range Finding (SSARF) of the Future) project the German Army is equipped
paramilitary and public service agencies in more than 45 requirement. The J-TAS combines daylight and thermal with the AIM HuntIR TI sight which entered series
countries including over 600 produced for the French vision with eye-safe laser range finding, embedded production in December 2004. The 2.5kg HuntIR,
army, air force and navy since January 2005. Sophie can military GPS and azimuth angular referencing. Users, which can be mounted on the 5.56mm G36 assault
detect a human at more than 5km and a vehicle at more including artillery and mortar fire controllers, will be able rifle, the 5.56mm MG4 LMG, the 7.62mm sniper rifles
and the .50 calibre G82 sniper rifle, allows the user to
detect a man at ranges up to 1,500m. To meet the
needs for the Infanterist der Zukunft-Erweitertes
System (IdZ-ES; Infantryman of the Future-Enhanced
System) AIM is developing an improved sight dubbed
the RangIR which incorporates a laser ranger finder,
three-axis digital magnetic compass and a wireless
data link.
Norway’s Simrad Optronics produces both night
sights and NVGs. The KN200 and KN250 II sights clip
onto telescopic sights, laser rangefinders and other
daylight optical devices to provide an NV capability.
The KN200 weighs 1.56kg and provides a 10 degree
field of view while the 1kg KN250 provides a 12
degree field. Both are powered by two AA batteries
which provide more than 80 hours of usage. The US
Special Operations Command has purchased both
sights for use on sniper rifles and the Norwegian Army
has bought over 600 KN200s for use on its sniper
weapons. The KDN250 combines 3.5X magnification
binoculars with a KN250 sight to produce night and
day observation binoculars. The KN250 unit can be
removed for use as a night sight. Simrad’s GN series
NVGs can be worn on a head or helmet mount. The
NVG weighs 390g, including two AA batteries, and the
This FELIN-equipped French Army sniper has the Sagem Lunette FRF2 sighted mounted on his rifle © Sagem Défense Sécurité head mount weighs 230g. ■

22 www.soldiermod.com SoldierMod Volume 2 January 2009