L-3 Warrior Systems wins $49.5 million contract to provide Special Forces night vision devices
CRANE, Ind. 16 Nov. 2016. Electro-optics experts at L-3 Warrior Systems in Londonderry, N.H., will provide U.S. Special Forces warfighters with binocular night vision devices for a variety of nighttime combat and surveillance applications.
Officials of the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Ind., announced a $49.5 million five-year contract to L-3 Warrior Systems on Monday for the company's AN/PVS-31 binocular night vision devices (BNVD) with small size, weight, and power consumption (SWaP) white phosphor tubes.
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.
The BNVD will enable Special Operations Forces to operate with an enhanced visual acuity in low-light conditions to increase their lethality and survivability while achieving their mission objectives.
Related: Navy asks L-3 Warrior Systems to build night-vision goggles in $49.5 million contract
The contract is for the next-generation BNVD goggles with white phosphor tubes that focus on weight, size, and power reductions, Navy officials say. This procurement is for a follow-on to a $49.5 million BNVD contract the Navy awarded to L-3 Warrior Systems in February 2015.
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 November 2021. For more information contact L-3 Warrior Systems online at www.insighttechnology.com, or the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane at www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NSWC-Crane.
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John Keller | Editor
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.
