Army combat vehicles experts choose infrared illuminators from L3Harris for battlefield night vision
WARREN, Mich. – U.S. Army armored combat vehicles experts needed infrared illuminators for a variety of battlefield applications. They found their solution from the L3Harris Technologies Integrated Vision Solutions segment in Londonderry, N.H.
Officials of the Army Contracting Command-Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Mich., announced a $34.9 million five-year contract to L3Harris on Monday for infrared illuminators.
An infrared illuminator emits light in the infrared spectrum that is invisible to the human eye, but that acts like a flashlight for infrared devices like night-vision goggles and weapons sights.
In total darkness, even the most advanced night-vision devices require IR illuminators to function. Infrared illuminators can be integrated into night-vision devices, or can be attachable or handheld. Infrared illuminators are common in infrared monoculars and goggles designed for walking and traveling at night.
Handheld infrared illuminators, for example, basically are night-vision flashlights that the unaided human eye cannot detect. Some illuminators come with infrared laser systems that the naked eye also cannot see.
Although infrared illuminators are invisible to the human eye, those with infrared-detection devices can see them, which can reveal the positions of forces to the enemy. Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, but using an infrared illuminator does make the user visible to others with night vision capability.
Infrared illuminators are not preferred for covert or military operations, though may be necessary for navigating and sighting targets in extreme darkness. The advantage of is that infrared illuminators can help enable military night vision with no visible light on the scene.
On this contract L3Harris will do the work at locations to be determined with each order, and should be finished by February 2029. For more information contact L3Harris Technologies online at www.l3harris.com.
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.
