A night vision device (NVD) is an optical installment that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness. They are most often used by the military and law enforcement agencies, but are available to civilian users. The term usually refers to a complete unit, including an image intensifier tube, a protective and generally water-resistant housing, and some type of mounting system. Many NVDs also include sacrificial lenses, IR illuminators, and telescopic lenses. NVDs are mounted appropriately for their specific purpose, with more general- purpose devices having more mounting options. For instance, the AN/PVS-14 is a monocular night vision device in use with the US military as well as by civilians. It may be mounted on the user's head for hands free use with a harness or helmet attachment, either as a monocular device, or in aligned pairs for binocular "night vision goggles" which provide a degree of depth perception as do optical binoculars. The AN/PVS-14 may also be attached to a rifle using a Pica tinny rail, in front of an existing telescopic or red dot sight, or attached to a single-lens reflex camera. Other systems, such as the AN/PVS-22 or Universal Night Sight, are designed for a specific purpose, integrating an image intensifier into, for example, a telescopic sight, resulting in a smaller and lighter but less versatile system.
Download your Reports for Night Vision Technology
Advertisement