According to industry experts, night vision technologies, both image intensification and thermal imaging, are ready to develop in the coming years in a number of directions, from resolution to connection to a single network. However, this development should be balanced with obtaining the smallest weight and size and energy consumption characteristics
Night vision systems come in a variety of shapes, from goggles to weapon sights. However, there is significant progress in this area, as the world's leading manufacturers strive to respond to user needs.
Changes and combinations
Christian Johnson, director of business development at Harris Corporation, has drawn particular attention to the growing demand for dual-eyepiece night vision goggles (NVGs). “They are relatively new. Over the past six months, the American army has been putting serious pressure on manufacturers to be ready to massively supply double-eyed devices, the ground forces need to switch from a monocular to a binocular."
Launched by Harris in late 2016, the Lightweight Night Vision Binocular (F5032) is lighter than all previous models. It significantly reduces eye fatigue on prolonged tasks with its adjustable diopter lenses, which means the system can quickly adjust to the vision of its operator.
Harris is also seeing a shift in market dynamics as white phosphor systems are gaining popularity. Initially, the release of such systems was determined by the need for special forces, but now it has become a general trend. The company does not have a particular view on the advantages of white versus green phosphor and vice versa, although it is producing systems with white phosphor in increasing quantities. However, the green phosphor is very widespread today.
The company documents explain that “white phosphor produces a black and white image that may appear more familiar to the eye. In some situations, users claim better contrast between objects, along with a higher resolution of the picture by 6 Olonger distances.
“On the other hand, green phosphor takes advantage of wavelengths that optimize the brain's perception of contrast and scene detail. Green falls exactly in the middle of the eye's color spectrum, allowing users to better identify and interpret their surroundings at night.”
Johnson explained that Harris focuses heavily on image enhancement (VL) technology, although it uses fusion technology in the i-Aware TM-NVG Fusion (F6045) range of binoculars, where VL and thermal imaging (TPV) fusion is achieved through optical overlay. “We have improved situational awareness, because the operator can watch both channels at once. For example, with image fusion, you can see through fog and other obstacles, which OY does not allow. But with UY you can see through glass, which thermal imaging technology cannot provide. Therefore, their combination increases the operator's situational awareness of what is happening around him."
As a result, the binoculars of the F6045 family increase combat effectiveness in night and day missions, as well as provide real-time video transmission for tactical reconnaissance assets. These binoculars allow the user to connect with various elements of the battle formation, right down to the company headquarters.
According to Andrew Owen, a spokesman for FLIR Surveillance, thermal imaging capabilities have grown rapidly over the past few years, with an emphasis on higher resolution and smaller pixel sizes in HD formats while maintaining nearly the same physical dimensions as standard resolution sensors. The latter have also benefited from this process, as smaller pixel sizes can reduce the size and ultimate cost of systems. The result is clearly visible in modern near, medium and long range infrared sensors.
FLIR manufactures a line of overlay scopes including the ThermoSight T75 advanced thermal sight, HISS-XLR (High-Performance Sniper Sight) sniper scope and ADUNS-S (Advanced Dual-Band Night Sight) night sight.
On purpose
BAE Systems is one of the leading players in the field of visualization systems, in particular due to its work with the American army. Dave Harrold, Head of Sensing and Aiming Systems at the company, named the work on the development of the technology of the so-called rapid target acquisition (RTA) as one of the priority areas. The idea is based on a wireless video interface between the goggles and the rifle scope, where a high-resolution image can be transmitted to night vision goggles and viewed on a high-definition display in real time. This eliminates the operator's dependence on laser illumination, which can give him to the enemy.
“The development of wireless RTA technology allows users to quickly detect and lock on targets from anywhere without bringing the weapon to their eyes, which increases the soldier's safety and efficiency while targeting,” Harrold said.
RTA is used in the program for improved night vision goggles and the ENVG III / FVTS-I (Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III and Family of Weapon Sights - Individual) weapon sights program, in which BAE cooperates with the American army. These systems combine the UYa and TPV technologies: the first provides control of the situation, and the second increases aiming accuracy. The Family of Weapon Sights-Crew Served (FWS-CS) family of weapon scopes offers machine gunners the ability to engage targets at long distances.
According to a Thales spokesperson, night vision capabilities have improved and "are no longer limited to a few happy countries." He drew attention to a number of new trends, such as the improvement of uncooled infrared systems, which already provide high-resolution images. He is confident that in a few years Thales "will offer a line of current long-range target detection devices, but with all the advantages of uncooled devices: fast start-up time, quietness, reduced cost, high reliability."
The Israeli company Meprolight produces a line of night vision devices of various types - UYa, TPV and digital. Product Manager Avi Katz said the NOA family's uncooled rifle scopes have gained popularity in the long-range sniper rifle market. However, systems with UYa are cheaper and, compared to thermal imagers, are used more often when working on targets at medium distances.
“As soon as you go along the route of increasing value, the military begins to use products depending on their specific needs. In my opinion, brightness amplifiers are used more often than thermal imagers, mostly due to cost."
In January at the Shot Show 2018 in Las Vegas, Meprolight unveiled the NYX-200. This multispectral riflescope combines an uncooled thermal imaging camera and a digital day / night camera to enhance your situational awareness by utilizing RTA technology in all light levels or conditions.
“The demands of the modern battlefield force soldiers to carry a large number of systems, sensors and equipment,” said a Meprolight spokesman. - The weight of this equipment and the need to work with a mass of devices reduce combat effectiveness and can negatively affect the level of the soldier's safety. To address these challenges and improve the performance of the modern soldier, we developed the NYX-200 scope.”
Power balance
The cost and weight, size and power consumption characteristics (MGEH) should be aligned with the combat requirements for soldier systems, where the key requirements are mass and battery life.
Harrold said the soldiers are overwhelmed by having to carry lots of batteries to power their devices. They want light, small, high quality weapon sights to maximize their mobility on the ground. BAE minimizes size and weight by using 12 micron technology. “This allows for lighter and more compact systems. Our systems also use less energy than traditional refrigerated systems, which ultimately reduces wearable weight as fewer batteries are required.”
However, Harris believes that it will be difficult to make a system significantly lighter than its F5032 binocular device (weighing less than 500 grams) without compromising the structural integrity of the system. “To a certain extent, we have found a middle ground, if you follow the path of relief, you will lose in the strength of the system,” Johnson said. “Our products undergo an extensive testing program approved by the US Army. Our glasses and tubes have to pass very tough tests. If we start to lighten them, they will start to break."
The power consumption of basic systems with UC is relatively low. The Harris AN / PVS-14 monocular, for example, can operate on a single AA battery for over 24 hours.
However, Johnson explained that the state of affairs is changing with the development of technology. “You face the increased power consumption of image fusion systems when you add a thermal imaging camera, when you add augmented reality. All of these technologies consume energy and thereby transfer the problem to the user. Harris is working to extend the life of helmet-mounted systems.
“Size, mass and energy are always an issue, we are constantly working in this direction,” continued Johnson. “But, in my opinion, we will not see glasses much lighter than those we are working on now, and this is less than 500 grams.”
He stressed that the optimization of the IHEC should not be carried out at the expense of high performance - a mantra that FLIR Surveillance lays in the basis of its projects. He added that developments aimed at higher resolution, smaller pixel size and wider operating temperature range help maintain this balance and increase the lifespan of systems. Progress here is mainly associated with the use of multi-element photodetectors operating in the mid-wave and long-wave infrared regions of the spectrum.
The Italian defense company Leonardo believes that, despite the advantages of using new materials or new types of batteries, there are certain limits to the improvement of the IHEC, especially when meeting new customer requests for network connectivity.
Fully electro-optical
Image intensifier tubes or image intensifier tubes are a key component of night vision devices. These systems have evolved in several directions in recent years, according to Photonis.
According to the representative of this company, Mark Denes, MGEH is a key factor. The emphasis on mass is especially relevant today, given the increased demand for binoculars, which are inherently heavier than monoculars. “MGEH is very important, because every gram falls on the shoulders of the operator,” Denes said.
Photonis manufactures transducers with a diameter of 16 mm, which provides up to 40% weight savings over 18 mm tubes and allows end-product manufacturers to reduce the weight of their systems. The company has also reduced the power consumption of its handsets and improved auto-strobe functionality to extend battery life.
Photonis manufactures a variety of image intensifier tubes including the XD-4 and XR5 tubes, as well as the 4G tube that was shown at Eurosatory 2014. The company says the 4G tube performance standard has improved detection ranges. Photonis has won several major projects for its 4G technology as it worked closely with the Special Operations community and other military operators to enhance the device's capabilities, including faster auto-gating and longer detection and identification distances.
These tubes are supplied to manufacturers for integration into optical sights, monoculars, binoculars and other systems with image enhancement. The company is currently working to further enhance the performance of its 4G tubes and is also developing digital night vision sensors that it integrates into overlay systems and scopes, land and offshore platforms.
Both are good
According to Denes, thermal imaging systems are becoming more popular than UY technology, since with an increase in production volumes, their cost is significantly reduced. Both technologies have different objectives and different advantages, and their capabilities depend on terrain, weather and other factors. TPV was popular for detection - and to some extent recognition, but VL systems "are still in demand because of better identification and situational awareness."
“Ideally, soldiers need both night vision technologies,” Denes admitted. "They should rather be seen as an extension of each other, rather than a substitution of one for the other."
Fusion can provide "the best of both worlds". High-performance image intensifiers still provide better images than their digital counterparts, "but it's like comparing round versus soft."
"Digital systems are becoming popular on ground and air platforms," Denes added, "because IHECs are not as serious an issue here as they are with dismounted personnel." He expects soldiers to continue to use OU technology because of its capabilities, low weight, and relative cheapness.
According to Denes, the markets for digital systems and image intensifier tubes are simply different. Photonis and its military customers believe that image intensifier tubes "will be in demand for at least another 10 years, and as a result of scientific research, a lot of improvements will be implemented in a number of areas, from sensitivity to thermal imaging."
Looking for a connection
According to Leonardo, the need for constant communication on the battlefield determines the availability of components that enable network-centric capabilities. In the future, the company expects widespread use of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS technologies in optical components, which will more closely integrate them into the operational control chain.
The company's Linx handheld reconnaissance and targeting device is based on a cooled matrix and is designed for all-weather surveillance and detection. The device belongs to network-centric systems, allowing the user to exchange images and data over the network.
FLIR considers customer interoperability to be a key characteristic of military applications. “The soldiers' systems are now integrated with low-cost, low-power communication chips,” explained her spokesperson. "Two-way communication provides support for remote users and increases situational awareness, including information from neighboring intelligence assets."
According to Johnson, systems are getting smarter. For example, augmented reality is integrating into displays, adding another layer of information for the soldier, while the technology is becoming more networked."Night vision systems are one part of the soldier's networked environment, sharing what they see to form an overall operational image that is issued to the entire unit or transmitted to a higher level."
A Thales spokesperson also noted the increasing level of digitization of systems, which is opening the door to augmented reality. The company's offerings on the market include the BONIE-DI / IRR I2 night vision device, a smart network system that combines two types of images. The system allows users to visualize specific data, such as GPS, in augmented reality, which increases levels of ownership and interaction.
Serious attention has been paid to the potential of all-digital night vision devices, although, according to Johnson, the technology “is not yet fully developed. It seems to me that you shouldn't expect full return from her yet. Harris conducts a large amount of research in this area. We need a real technological breakthrough before we get a head-worn digital sensor. Analogue optical converters will dominate the night vision market for the next 15-20 years, until something breakthrough comes to replace them."
Johnson confirmed, however, that it is possible to incorporate some kind of digital elements into analog systems. “In our F6045 soldier system, we took an analog system and connected it to the network, thereby bringing digital capabilities, but we still use analog image intensifier tubes because there is nothing better at the moment. This is a proven and reliable technology, which is not going to give up its positions yet”.
Mr. Katz agreed that digital night vision technology is at the very beginning of the journey, but believes that it will develop rapidly in the coming years.
Harrold also predicts that ultimately OU systems will become obsolete and completely replaced by digital systems that can update themselves with their own algorithms. He added that the industry is likely to "move towards fully integrated wireless power systems that integrate portable power supplies, rifle scopes and night vision goggles that can operate without rest day or night."
Forward movement
With a clear view of other market segments, Katz believes "there will be a revolution in thermal imaging solutions."
FLIR, in turn, expects to see a stronger emphasis on image processing and power management in order to reduce dependence on long focal length optics for long distances and increase the likelihood of target identification. They believe that "image processing with low power consumption, which improves image quality in real time, can increase the level of confidence in object identification and threat detection."
In recent years, standard systems have added features such as histogram equalization, digital detail enhancement, and electronic stabilization. "This process will continue as processing algorithms evolve, resulting in less user workload and faster target recognition and identification."
The use of high-resolution microdisplays in combination with smaller pixel sensors, low-power image processing and wireless communications enhances MEGC and enhances intelligence, surveillance and targeting capabilities.
Harrold said that in the coming years, augmented reality "will become the most important technology for these systems, it will be integrated into future scopes and glasses." In a night vision device that acts as the soldier's primary display, augmented reality will provide him with important information and thereby increase his combat effectiveness.
This will provide a number of benefits. The general operational picture with augmented reality will allow users to increase their level of ownership of the environment. This information could help in a number of tasks, for example, access to video from a drone, history of the use of explosive devices in a given area, identification of allied and friendly forces, a three-dimensional map of the area, etc. platforms.
