ITT Industries has begun deliveries to the US Army of the latest-generation aviators' night-vision system (ANVIS). The AVS-6(V)3 ANVIS goggles are the first to use ITT's Gen 3 Pinnacle image-intensifier tube, improving resolution and reducing interference caused by light sources within the night-time image.
ANVIS units produced under the latest Omnibus VI contract, awarded in 2002 and worth $450 million over five years, are compatible with the head-up display (HUD) and optical display assembly (ODA) used in various helicopters. Previous versions of the (V)3 goggles were not compatible with the clip-on HUDand ODA because the translational and rotational objective lens used to focus the tube caused the symbology to rotate. This is overcome by the latest version, says ITT.
The Pinnacle thin-film image intensifier, which is not yet exportable, provides improved photoresponse, higher signal-to-noise ratio and longer life. The new tube minimises "halo" effects experienced when flying over well-lit urban areas, and reduces the glare from stray light sources, says Roanoke, Virginia-based ITT Industries Night Vision, which is supplying 100% of the ANVIS goggles to be procured under Omnibus VI.
Source: Flight International