OUT OF THE DARK:

NIGHT VISION EQUIPMENT FOR THE INFANTRY

By WO John Marshall and Lt Jeff Gill

The Reality

The historically based and hard-earned reputation of Canadian infantrymen being aggressive and effective night fighters is currently being put into question through a reluctance by soldiers to fully employ currently issued night vision devices (NVD’s) coupled with an inadequate allotment of the required equipment. Unlike the past where boldness, stamina and skills could win the day or night, modern night operations require up-to-date equipment and procedures. Unfortunately, the equipment acquisition of the Canadian Infantry Corps has not kept pace with the advances in modern technology. The situation has evolved to a point where the dismounted Canadian soldier with limited Gen-2 and NVDs no longer possesses the capability to effectively fight at night; this shortfall is especially clear when comparing our dismounted infantry’s ability to that our allies and potential adversaries.

"Many of the world’s armies and militias possess some kind of night-fighting equipment, ranging from high-tech radars to sophisticated night vision goggles. It is relatively easy to procure most of this equipment at reasonable rates on the world market."

US Army Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) "Own the Night" No. 96-3 Mar 96

More bluntly stated, we will not be able to see the enemy, so we will not be able to kill him. More critically though, our current disadvantage will mean that our soldiers will be unnecessarily put at risk by allowing them to be seen in situations where they cannot.

The Analysis

It will be useful to address this problem by examining the three following combat functions: manoeuvre, fire power and command. All three of these are affected by the shortfalls that exist in our NVD stores. It is important to keep in mind, however, that more equipment alone is not the solution to all of our problems. The correct attitude of individual soldiers about the employment of NVD’s must also be guaranteed; it is unacceptable to see night vision goggles (NVG’s) dangling around soldiers’ necks instead of being mounted to a head harness or helmet. The optimistic news is that one estimate shows an entire battalion could be outfitted with the ability to "own the night" for less than two million dollars (roughly the price of one LAV-3).

"As a result of the many incidents which occurred at night, it became clear to me that the Army, and in particular the Infantry, needs to place more emphasis on training for night operations. This training must include night shooting, FIBUA, and counter- infiltration operations. As well, this training must acknowledge the fact that many of the world's belligerents now have access to STANO equipment approximating our own;

OPERATIONAL LESSONS LEARNED: 1 PPCLI ON OP HARMONY ROTO 4

COMMANDING OFFICER'S CONCLUDING REMARKS

The Prescription

1. Manoeuvre

In order for infantry sub-units to move and fight at night, every soldier requires some type of NVD. These devices allow the soldier to engage targets at the maximum range of his personal weapon and manoeuvre across the battlefield with good situational awareness.

The infantry needs to replace all of their current Gen-2 and older Gen-3 NVD’s with the far superior Gen-3 Omni-5 models. The authors suggest that the minimum number required by dismounted infantry sections is one set of NVG’s per fire team. With these, the sect will be able to move at night as it does in the day. However, as noted earlier, in order to take full advantage of the technology, leaders and soldiers must wear them at all times. While the initial training will be difficult and resisted by some soldiers, the benefits will soon become clear to leaders.

During the A Coy 1 PPCLI deployment to NTC Roto 9901, a four man standing patrol (with soldiers who had been trained to wear NVG’s while on-the-move) wearing NVG’s was able to out-manoeuvre an enemy recce det; the patrol also maintained contact with a dismounted enemy rifle coy - which was incidentally not wearing their NVGs - and remained undetected.

Sentry wearing PVS-504A outside the wire in Kosovo.

The PVS-504A Gen-3 NVGs are still sub-standard compared to Gen-3 Omni-5 NVGs.

Wearing NVGs and a helmet is very uncomfortable. We need a helmet mount for the NVGs!

Note: We could not mount our Kite sights or PAQ-4B on the C-9s, the gunner must observe his tracer to get on target.

Photo WO Marshall

NVG’s should have the ability to be mounted to the helmet and flip up in the same manner as an aviator’s or the US Army's PVS-7Ds. The LAV crew comd requires NVG’s in addition to the gunner’s thermal sight to enable him to operate with his head outside of the turret. This would increase his peripheral vision capabilities and assist him in maintaining situational awareness; both of these would be lost if he remained inside the turret and focused on the thermal sight.

Photo: ITT

Helmet-mounted AN/PVS-7D NVGs

Note: PVS-7Ds automatically turn on or off when flipped up or down.

NSN – 5855-01-461-8169

Price: $3595. US

A possible alternative to the AN/PVS-7D is the AN/PVS-14. This monocular’s flexibility is unsurpassed in that it can be used as a hand-held, helmet-mounted or weapon-mounted NVD. It is currently being issued to US Ranger battalions. Its great advantage is that in helmet-mounted mode it leaves one eye unrestricted to allow for increased situational awareness.

PVS-14 Gen-3 Omni-5 $4,400 US
Hand-held monocular Single-eye head or helmet mounted goggle Weapon mounted night sight Ancillary equipment: Compass 3 x magnifier	Photo: ITT
Photo: ITT	PVS-14 with x3 Afocal magnifier lens Photo: ITT

An added piece of available equipment to be considered for limited purchase is the afocal magnifier lens that can be attached to PVS-7D Gen-3 Omni-5 NVGs or PVS-14. It would be useful for soldiers who require long-range observation capabilities (such as pl comds) who do not necessarily require a weapon sight. It is especially worthy of consideration because of its relative low procurement cost.

With a PVS-7D (NVG) and one of these afocal lenses, the user gains dual NVD capability; he can move at night using the NVGs and then attach the afocal lens (to be used like conventional hand-held binoculars) upon reaching a fixed position. US sniper teams have found this combination indispensable. Such a pairing would also be useful for OP’s.

Afocal Magnifier Lens Mounted on PVS-7D Note: The Afocal lens can be held in the front of the PVS-504 NVGs
Photo: ITT
Detection of a man on green grass	PVS-7B Gen-3	PVS-7D Gen-3 Omni-5	PVS-7D Gen-3 Omni-5 3 power $739 US NSN 5855-01-461-2741		PVS-7B Gen-3 5 power $865 US NSN – 5855-01-391-7026
Quarter moon	417m	500m	1040m		974m
Starlight (10)	297m	380m	680m		432m
Cloud cover	163m	245m	510m		355m
Also mounts on PVS-14
Consider: A magnetic compass that clips on the front of your NVD’s. This would also reduce disorientation that may result from wearing NVG’s (PVS-D or PVS-14 - $110 US)
PVS-7D with X3 Photo: NVEC				View of compass though NVGs: Photo: NVEC

2. Firepower

Seeing is not enough; soldiers must also be able to hit and kill a target. Canadian infantry units do not have the ability to effectively engage targets at night without illumination. The only way to gain this capability is by using NVG’s coupled with an IR pointing device (such as the PAQ-4C) or by using a weapon night sight such as the British-made Kite sight.

PAQ-4C

FEATURES

photo: NVEC

	Eye safe
	1000 m range
	Resists 1 m immersion in water
	Off-axis light security
	Highly accurate
	Numerous weapon mount options
	AA battery
	$850 US

NSN – 5855-01-398-4315

The PAQ-4C (called "Pack – 4" by US forces) is the latest and improved version of the PAQ-4B, and currently in use by Canadians deployed with KFOR/SFOR. The AN/PAQ-4C is an infared weapon aiming light that allows the soldier to aim his weapon while still using NVG’s. The IR light that is projected from this device is invisible to the naked eye; however, the light can easily be seen when using image intensification devices. The light provides a rapid, accurate aiming point from which to engage targets at night.

With their longer ranges, the C-9 LMG and C-6 GPMG require a night sight with a corresponding range capability. One option is to employ a night sight such as the Gen-3 Kite or Maxikite sight (which is also being employed by Canadian Forces in KFOR/SFOR). This will allow the C-9 and C-6 gunners to engage targets out to 600m. With the Kite sight the sect would also gain greater depth in their ability to observe of the battlefield going beyond the range of their NVGs.

Kite Sight (British Gen-3) AN/PVS-505 NSN- 1240-21-906-8151 PRICE $8,500 CAN Used by Canadians in SFOR/KFOR 2 per sect	Raptor (US Gen-3 Omni-5) M-644 X4 power NSN 5855-01-465-2168 PRICE $6,000 US
Night patrol in Kosovo: Also mounted The Carbine Visible Laser (CVL-001) and The Modular Weapon System (MWS). Both on loan from DCIEM	Photo: NVEC
All night sights must be collimated prior to use. In Kosovo, with only one collimator in the company, this was impossible.

Manning the Sanger in Kosovo

Maxi-kite (Gen-3) mounted on the C-6

A Coy 1PPCLI did not get all our NVDs in Kosovo until after we had been in theater for 6 weeks.

We must train with kit we are expected to use on operations.

Photo WO Marshall

FIBUA and certain other operations require special considerations and equipment. For a number of years special and police forces have employed weapon-mounted white light devices in FIBUA-type operations. In addition to allowing rapid target acquisition, white light has the advantage of blinding image intensification equipment. It can also temporarily dazzle and disorient an enemy with unprotected eyesight – even in daylight or lighted rooms.

" While the use of white light is a preferred technique for room clearing, when encountering large open areas (such as hangers, airport terminals, etc.) the use of the IR source on the goggle may be the best option to illuminate the area while clearing"

Ranger Company Night Live Fire Raid in the IR Spectrum.

In addition to optical NVD’s there are pyrotechnic IR illumination devices. These include paraflares, illumination rounds, penflares, and tripflares. To the naked eye, these have the same brightness as a burning match; however, through NVD’s, they "light up the sky." The US Army employs them and we should too.

All of these equipment choices beg the question "what is the right mix?" The answer is not universal and depends on the operation at hand. However, it is suggested that the scale of issue for the C-9 and C-6 should be Gen-3 Kite/Maxikite sights. Riflemen should be equipped with NVG’s and PAQ-4C’s. When it is desirable to mount the Kite sights on the C-7s for pinpoint accuracy, the C-9 gunners would utilize the NVG and PAQ-4C combination (this is not necessarily a compromise for the latter since it would reduce washout from muzzle flash). Thus, comds would allot night vision equipment based on the tasks for his sub-unit. It is clear that other forces similar in size and composition to our, reflect this same concern for adequate NVD’s.

"The night fighting equipment will not turn night into day but it will significantly enhance night vision for our soldiers in the field, giving them the capability to detect, monitor and engage an enemy force at night."

Lieutenant Colonel Andrew McLeod, Australian Army,

Project Director NINOX

Night fighting equipment for the 21st century

3. Command and Control

Commanding dismounted infantry during normal daylight operations is an intricate task; to attempt the same during reduced visibility operations is infinitely more challenging. Even after NVD’s are obtained, there must be a means for leaders to guarantee control and thus reduce the risk of fratricide. This risk is an important consideration not only for sub-unit fire, but also for supporting fire, such as provided by attack helicopters and close air support.

The most important infantry night command aid is the Ground Commander's Pointer (GCP). This device is an IR laser with a range of 8 km+. It allows comds to direct soldiers equipped with NVD’s by indicating both targets and boundaries. For example, a pl comd could indicate trenches to his sect comds and the OC, subsequently giving his arcs for the consolidation. Recce Pl could then mark depth objectives for attack helicopters.

The GCP-1 comes in two versions: the GCP-1/2A (50mW) and the longer range GCP-1/2B (100mW). The GCP-1’s are hand held, and the GCP-2’s can be mounted on a weapon. If the GCP-2A/B are employed, the PAQ-4C is not required.

GROUND COMMANDER'S POINTER
	GCP-2 A/B GCP-2A NSN–5855-01-420-0817 price: $1051 US	GCP-1 A/B GCP-1A NSN-5855-01-420-0849 Price: $1451 US
GCP-2 – Same type of laser as the GCP-1, however, the GCP-2 can be mounted on a variety of weapons. The GCP-2 has been adopted by the USMC for use by door-gunners. The GCP-2 could also be mounted on a Ti sight such as the Eryx Ti sight and paint the target for ii NVDs extending their ranger.
	Photos: NVEC
MODEL NUMBER	GCP-1/2A (OC’s/Pl Comd’s)	GCP-1/2B (MFC/Recce Sect Comd)
Range
0.5 mR (dot) beam	8,000 m	12,000 m
2-degree beam	1,500 m (man sized target)	3,000 m (man sized target)
10-degree beam	800 m (veh sized target)	1,600 m (veh sized target)

Soldiers and comds must have a means to establish positive combat identification at night in order to prevent fratricide; "Warrior Glotape" is a very inexpensive solution. To the naked eye, it appears as black duct tape in both finish and texture. When illuminated by normal visible light it exhibits no special reflective characteristics. However, when illuminated by an IR source (for example, GCP’s, PAQ-4C’s, or LAV-3 IR spotlights) the tape glows brightly. "Warrior Glotape" could be placed on the back of a soldier’s helmet and on the forestock of his weapon. An obvious criticism of this system is that NVD equipped enemy forces would also see our forces during IR illumination. This is true; however, illumination by comds would take place only seconds before engagement as a final confirmation of identity. Thus, the safeguard against fratricide far outweighs the risk of detection.

"MARKINGS: Each Ranger was marked with a two-inch strip of Glint tape on his arm and a one-inch square on his helmet. Glint tape (glow tape) is reflective to IR sources shined on it. All cleared breach points, buildings and bunkers were marked with either IR chemlights, or Phoenix beacons, as was the Casualty Collection Point"

"Ranger Company Night Live Fire Raid in the IR Spectrum."

The Phoenix IR beacon is a longer-range device that should be used in addition to glow tape. The IR beacon - when activated - emits a strobe, which can only be detected by NVD’s. The programmable nature of this device means it lends itself to marking different friendly locations during the conduct of patrols, link up operations, and other night operations. It can be also be used to mark vehicles, routes, attack positions, rolling replenishments, and landing zones.

IR Tape illuminated by IR light Photo: NVEC	Phoenix IR Strobe Photo: NVEC
"Warrior Glotape" or IR Tape Every soldier should have IR tape on the back of his helmet and arm. The ABCA Quadripartite Advisory Publication, No 192, Ed 1 remarked that combat identification errors are one of seven primary causes for fratricide.	The Phoenix was used in Kosovo during a Helo night extraction -- it could be seen as soon as the Helo took off, +5km away. NSN – 5855-01-396-8734 Distribution: One per section - 100 hrs on 9 volt battery - Waterproof - Easy to use - Range up to 20 km Price: $65.00 (US)

The problem of control and identification remains during the use of thermal sights, so an item to meet this requirement needs investigation. It must be remembered that thermal sights prevent one from seeing visible white light or IR light sources, such as chem lights. Thermal panel markers are a useful and cost-effective solution. They will assist in the marking of a variety of operationally significant locations (such as identifying obstacle breach sites for LAV-3 drivers using thermal viewers) and help to prevent fratricide. The Thermal Identification Panel (TIP - manufactured by NVEC) is a thermal reflective marker designed for use with thermal sights and viewers. TIPs work by showing the contrast between their cold spots and the warmer background temperature.

Battle Reference Marking Systems (BRMS)

$400 US

Thermal Identification Panel

(TIP) $109 US

NSN – 2590-01-447-4937

Photo: BRMS

Photo: NVEC

Warrior Heat air activated ration heater as seen though a Ti sight.

NSN 7310-01-434-1365

Photo NVEC

	No power is required
	Uses:
	TRP’s
	Fratricide avoidance marker
	Trigger line marker
	Obstacle lane markers
	LZ markers
	Field boresight panel
	Passage of lines markers
	Range arc markers

"New equipment such as the KITE site, laser det sight, Global Positioning System and Laser Range Finder were not readily accessible in quantities sufficient to train all personnel who would be using these items in theatre. Obviously this is not a desirable situation as soldiers must be thoroughly versed in the use of their equipment before deployment as opposed to learning it as On-The-Job Training while on operations. Some small quantities of special in-theatre equipment was received but it arrived late."

POST OPERATION REPORT OP HARMONY ROTO 5 PHASES 1-3, 1RCR

TITLE POST OPERATION REPORT OP HARMONY ROTO 5 PHASES 1-3, 1RCR

DATE FEB 1995

SUMMARY

More and more frequently comds in the Canadian Infantry Corps are realizing that we do not have adequate equipment or training to fight effectively at night; this is especially the case after operations in-theatre where conditions are most accurate in helping to reflect what war will be like. These same lessons and observations are repeated for Canadians in the US at NTC/JRTC. The nature of the battlefield has changed, in large part because of rapid technological advances, and we have failed to keep pace. Because our allies and many potential enemies have kept up-to-date, however, we are needlessly putting our soldiers at risk of failing to meet their objectives when deploying them in reduced visibility operations. Most dangerously, however, we are increasing their risk of becoming victims of fratricide; one has only to look back to the Gulf War to see this risk in real terms. In simple dollars, some of the items, which have been explored here, are very expensive. Nevertheless, some are cheaper than the C-79 optical sight ($459) currently in use by every rifleman in the Corps. While bulk orders could reduce cost, most of the required equipment could also be procured through local purchase in order to speed delivery to the units. In practical dollars, however, it is worth noting that the price of equipping all infantry bns with these devices would be equal to the price of a few LAV-3s.

REFERENCES

Own the Night! – Small Unit Night Fighter Manual.

Center for Army Lessons Learned. Fort Leavenworth KA, No. 96-3, Mar 96.

This handbook combines existing doctrine with night-fighting tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) currently used by light infantry squads and platoons.

http://call.army.mil/call/handbook/96-3/hb963toc.htm

"Ranger Company Night Live Fire Raid in the IR Spectrum."

LTC (LCol) Keen, P.K., and Cpt Larsen, J

Training Techniques 2nd Quarter FY97

Center for Army Lessons Learned. Fort Leavenworth KA,

http://call.army.mil/call/trngqtr/tq2-97/article4.htm

"Owning the Night."

Adcock, Gene. Ref: Night Vision Equipment Company. Emmaus, PA

http://www.nvec-night-vision.com/nvec/ownnight.htm

Fratricide: Reducing self-inflicted Losses. Center for Army Lessons Learned. Fort Leavenworth KA, No. 92-4, Apr 92.

This newsletter reviews the most significant trends in ground-to-ground and air-to-ground fratricide and proposes practical remedies.

http://call.army.mil/call/newsltrs/92-4/tblcon.htm