The Degree To Which Night Vision Goggles Meet The Night Vision Needs Of Military Pilots.

Military strategists have long sought the ability to exploit the night in military operations through avoiding detection, defeating optically aimed weapons, and denying the enemy an opportunity to rest and resupply its troops. Current night vision imaging devices such as Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) and Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) have revolutionized military aviation through providing the means by which military operations are able to take place at night, even under very low luminance levels. Colonel William Berkley, USAF, stresses their importance in stating, "the total impact of night vision devices has probably been greater than that of any technological advance since the development of the jet engine". This paper reviews night vision goggle technology and will specifically focus on the performance and use of NVGs by United States Air Force cargo pilots and their concerns regarding the current state of NVG technology. Night Vision Goggles are an essential tool to today's military pilot, but further advances in NVG technology and training must be made.