Navy asks L-3 Warrior Systems to build night-vision goggles in $49.5 million contract
Feb. 12, 2015
CRANE, Ind. 12 Feb. 2015.Electro-optics experts at L-3 Warrior Systems in Londonderry, N.H., will provide the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps with binocular night vision devices for a variety of nighttime surveillance applications.
Officials of the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Ind., have announced a $49.5 million contract to L-3 Warrior Systems for the company's AN/PVS-31 binocular night vision device (BNVD).
This night-vision system is to provide enhanced surveillance, identification, recognition, and detection in all light and weather conditions, especially where vision is limited or restricted due to obscured and low- or no-light conditions.
The L-3 AN/PVS-31 is a compact, lightweight, Gen III dual-tube night-vision goggle with ergonomic low-profile design and offers superior situational awareness compared to a single tube goggle, L-3 officials say.
Related: DRS to develop enabling technologies for special-ops multispectral night-vision goggles
L-3 engineers developed the binocular night vision device with advice from U.S. Special Forces warfighters, and designed the night-vision system to increase system resolution, significantly reduce head-borne weight, improve system center of gravity, provide additional operational utility, and improve overall situational awareness as compared to currently fielded dual tube goggles, company officials say.
The BNVD -- a follow-on to the L-3 legacy AN/PVS-15 night-vision goggles -- features manual system gain and focus adjustments for custom image quality optimization; rotating binocular design for low profile when stowed, and ability to use as a monocular; quick release helmet mount; auto off when stowed; auto on when deployed; internal low battery indicator visible in optic; and replaceable I2 tubes.
On this contract L-3 Warrior Systems will do the work Londonderry, N.H., and should be finished by January 2020. For more information contact L-3 Warrior Systems online at www.insighttechnology.com, the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane at www.navsea.navy.mil/nswc/crane.
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
