No Result
View All Result
Military Families
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
 Military Families
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Military Families
No Result
View All Result

10th Mountain Division soldiers test enhanced night vision at Fort Polk

Jimmy Norris
by Jimmy Norris
July 10, 2020
10th Mountain Division soldiers test enhanced night vision at Fort Polk
ShareTweetEmailWhatsApp

The future of night vision continues to get brighter for soldiers as features like augmented reality, enhanced target acquisition capabilities and GPS support find their way onto the Army’s next generation of night vision goggles.

According to Army Futures Command spokesperson, Bridgett Sider, soldiers at Fort Polk, Louisiana conducted the first of three rounds of Reliability Growth Testing for the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binocular June 30. The next round is tentatively slated to take place in about eight months, though no hard date has been set, Sider said in an e-mail.

“In the meantime, we have soldier touch points constantly, in one form or another. They vary. We’ve conducted at least 12 to date, and that’s a conservative number,” Sider said. “We employ the concept of Soldier Centered Design, which means we rely on soldiers every step of the way, from concept through development, to make sure everything about the final system is just what the warfighter wants and needs. All too often, in the past, the Army developed great capabilities and fielded them to Soldiers without getting their feedback, and the result was a system or a weapon that was maybe unwieldy or interfered with other parts of their kit or whatever”.

During the first round of RGT soldiers from C Troop, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division tested the ENVG-B at Fort Polk’s Joint Readiness Training Center throughout June. According to an Army Futures Command press release the testing began with a week of classroom training and culminated in a 72-hour field training exercise. Thirty soldiers used the ENVG-Bs while others used the Army’s legacy PVS-14 night vision devices.

Sider said the ENVG-B has a host of features including:

  • Connects to Nett Warrior to enhance situational awareness.
  • Combines thermal and I² technology to optically fuse two images.
  • Gives the soldier a wider field of view (40º in I², 34º in thermal), the ability to see through glass and the ability to see in total darkness (thermal).
  • The thermal imager increases a soldier’s ability to detect by 300%.
  • Supports above ground GPS enabled navigation.
  • IR illuminator emits infrared light that can only be seen with I² night vision devices.
  • Augmentation reality and rapid target acquisition capabilities enable rapid offensive targeting by reducing target acquisition and engagement times without the use of active lasers.
  • Rotating binocular design allows for low-profile against helmet when in stowed position and ability to use as a single monocular
  • “Auto OFF” when stowed; resumes power when deployed

“In terms of target detection and clarity, the difference between the (ENVG-B) and the PVS-14 is night and day,” said C Troop Commander, Capt. William Hess in a quote provided by Sider via e-mail. “The guys wearing the ENVG-Bs were taking targets out to 300 meters and even beyond, whereas our guys with 14s are having trouble seeing beyond 150. I can’t say enough about the ENVG-Bs. There’s really no comparison.”

The testing took place nine months after the ENVG-B was initially fielded to soldiers at Fort Riley, Kansas who later deployed to Korea.

See: Army debuts enhanced night vision capabilities

“We put an incredible tool in the hands of soldiers who need it now,” Assistant Product Manager for the ENVG-B, Maj. John Nikiforakis said in the press release. “But the goal always is to treat the soldier as a system, to equip soldiers and squads holistically with weapons and system elements that work together to make them more lethal and more survivable. That’s what we’re doing here, testing the ENVG-B as a system.”

 

Read comments
Tags: 10th Mountain DivisionArmy Futures CommandEnhanced Night Vision Goggle-BinocularENVG-BFort PolkFort RileyMaj. John NikiforakisSouth KoreaUS Army
Share48Tweet30SendSend
Jimmy Norris

Jimmy Norris

Jimmy Norris is a newly-retired public affairs soldier and freelance writer. His work has appeared in multiple military publications including Stars and Stripes and NCO Journal. He recently completed work on his bachelor of arts degree in communications with Thomas Edison State University.

Related Posts

Fleet Week New York goes virtual for second straight year
Military News

Fleet Week New York goes virtual for second straight year

12 hours ago
Army Emergency Relief announces program to offset costs of child care, remote learning
Military News

Army Emergency Relief announces program to offset costs of child care, remote learning

1 day ago
Pentagon announces tougher extremism screenings for new military recruits
Military News

Pentagon announces tougher extremism screenings for new military recruits

3 days ago
Coast Guard yeoman wins Instagram contest with Virginia Beach-themed shoe design
Military News

Coast Guard yeoman wins Instagram contest with Virginia Beach-themed shoe design

6 days ago
Organization to honor 174 service women who paid the ultimate sacrifice
Military News

Organization to honor 174 service women who paid the ultimate sacrifice

4 weeks ago
Military Families Magazine. Military.com
Military News

Army chief hints at new training center in Alaska while unveiling new Arctic strategy

4 weeks ago

Discussion about this post

Ads

Military News, delivered to your inbox

Get a free copy of MILITARY FAMILIES delivered to your inbox each month

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • MEET OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL

GET RESOURCES

  • EDUCATION GUIDE
  • INSURANCE GUIDE

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • CFC PARTNERS
  • PRICING
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • PITCH US
  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
  • BOOK CLUB
Never miss out on the latest stories.
© 2021 Military Families by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Military Life
    • Deployment
    • Relocation
    • Military Spouses
    • Military Kids
  • Education
  • Career
    • Transition
    • Entrepreneur
    • Veterans
  • Health
  • Money
  • Travel
  • Get Resources
    • Education Guide
    • Insurance Guide
  • Giveaways

© 2020 Military Families by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW.