SOFINS 2025: Thales unveils Panoramic wide-angle night vision goggles

Thales has unveiled a new lightweight, compact night vision goggle (NVG) system called Panoramic at the 2025 Special Operations Forces Innovation Network Seminar (SOFINS), held near Bordeaux in France from 1 to 3 April.

Equipped with four light intensification tubes instead of two to provide an extra-wide field-of-view, the Panoramic NVG system allows soldiers to quickly perceive their entire operational surroundings without moving their heads, enabling them to react more quickly to potential threats in their peripheral field of vision.

“Panoramic’s patented architecture offers the best combination of performance, ergonomic design and volume currently available on the international market,” Thales stated in a press release. “It weighs just 740 g and is no wider than the soldier’s helmet. As well as the conventional helmet flip-up feature, each of the outer tubes can be raised independently, powering off automatically to guarantee discretion. Designed for optimum energy efficiency, this revolutionary new product is battery operated, with an available external battery pack for longer periods of operation.”

The Panoramic NVG system is fully compatible with night sights such as the Thales Xtraim weapon sight. It is a compact, robust unit designed to accommodate future technologies and functionalities and includes an optimised maintenance plan to maximise operational availability.

Specifically designed for special operations forces and specialised units in France, the system is currently being evaluated by the French Army’s Technical Section (STAT) and Special Forces.

The development of the Panoramic NVG system was fully funded by France’s Agence de l’innovation de défense (Defence Innovation Agency) and completed in just over two years by Thales’ centre of excellence for soldier optronics. The system is made wholly in France and is thus ITAR free.