Military personnel use night vision goggles to illuminate the environment or thermal imaging sights on their weapons to illuminate a target in operations held in the dark. Both are crucial in modern warfare, but carrying two devices adds weight to what a soldier is already carrying.
BAE Systems, a company which has built its reputation for delivering thermal weapon sights and precision targeting solutions for defense and commercial purposes, is soon to change that.
The company was chosen by the US Army for a five-year, $434 million contract for its integrated night vision and thermal targeting program, Fox News reported. They are now in the process of developing a single optic solution that carries both features and is soon to be deployed in the field.
They recognized the fact that a soldier initially uses night vision to find a target in the dark then switch to thermal imaging to engage it.
With the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III and Family of Weapon Sight-Individual (ENVG III/FWS-I) solution, the optic sight will be mounted on the soldier's weapon. Then, a head-mounted monitor in the form of a goggle is connected to the sight wirelessly via Bluetooth connection.
In addition, what is seen in the optic sight is sent to the goggle in real time. To toggle between night vision or thermal imaging, all it takes is a push of a button. Advanced high resolution thermal imaging will be used in the device which will extend target acquisition ranges.
Among the key advantages of the upcoming ENVG III/FWS-I device it is low power consumption which reduces operational costs and it maximizes soldier's maneuverability due to the wireless connectivity between the optic sight and the goggle.
With Rapid Target Acquisition (RTA) technology, soldiers will remain covert since the ENVG III/FWS-I also removes the need for aiming with lasers.
The result of using the device is a shorter engagement timeline.
While there was no mention by BAE Systems as to when the actual unit will be used on the battlefield, it assures that the ENVG III/FWS-I will be small, light, tightly integrated, and a cost-effective night vision and targeting solution that can be used in any situation.
"The ability to conduct surveillance in any light or weather condition increases mission safety and effectiveness," said BAE Systems VP Terry Crimmins.
BAE Systems has also been chosen by the U.S. Navy in providing engineering and service in modernizing the weapon launch of both U.S. and allied submarines.
