The air force of an EU and NATO member is boosting the performance of its night vision equipment for pilots by installing 4G image intensifier tubes from Photonis. On behalf of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), the French company is supplying 1,400 4G image intensifier tubes for installation in 700 avionics binoculars for pilots and helicopter crews.
The 4G technology covers a spectral range from 400nm to 1,000nm and is specifically designed to meet the rigorous demands of night combat operations. It provides operators with impressive situational awareness in low visibility conditions and increases mission effectiveness by enabling faster target acquisition.
Additionally, the 4G offers two key benefits that combine to make 4G technology extremely efficient. These are super-fast elimination of over-flashing (auto-gating) and a reduced halo that provides the operator with a less glaring image, a key advantage for helicopter pilots. Resolution also remains constant at high light levels, an advantage which is particularly effective over urban areas. Photonis light intensifier tubes are used in all NATO countries and are also widely used worldwide.
Gerhard Heiming
