Nighttime Field-of-View Doubles for Pilots
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Edited by Robert H. Williams
The
night just got a bit brighter for special operations crews. The
20 Block I panoramic night vision goggles offer pilots a 95-degree
field of vision that compares to 40 degrees for standard devices.
The wider view was achieved by employing four 16 mm image intensifier
tubes as opposed to two 18 mm ones.
Another enhancement is an auto-gating feature that protects pilots
of AC-130, MC-130 and other special operations aircraft from the
sudden glare of flares or other blinding lights. The goggles were
developed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.