NVG Manual Read Flashcards
NVD provide the aircrew with what capabilities:
- Increased situational awareness.
- Enhanced navigational capabilities
- Enhanced Threat avoidance
- Enhanced threat detection
- Enhanced target acquisition
- Multi/mixed aircraft tactics
- Application of daytime air to GND tactics
- Expanded night air to air tactics
What are some of NVDs primary limitations:
- NVDs are NOT all weather systems
- Absolute humidity and illumination levels define the NVD operating envelopment
- NVDs possess a limitied target acquisition capability when used alone.
- NVDs possess a limited FOV
- NVDs possess limited system resolution and electromagnetic spectral response
Explain Gen 0 NVGs?
- Developed 1930s
- An Active sensor that required an accompanying infrared searchlight to illum the area of interest.
Explain Gen 1 NVGs?
- Introduced in the late 1950s with develop of Starlight Scope.
- Attained HLL gains by 3 stage configuration of solely a photocathode/phosphor screen stack.
- Provided gains in the range of 40,000x
- Downfalls
A. Extremely susceptible to bloomingB. Still extremely large.
What is blooming?
tendency for the tube to degain and shut down if a bright light enters the FOV
Explain Gen 2 NVGs?
- Developed late 1960s
- The first small enough to be placed into systems that could be head mounted.
- The introduction of MCP created mor eelectrons meaning less velocity needed.
- Still susceptible to blooming but more localized due to MCP
- Gain was only 10,000x vice 40,000x for Gen I
Explain Gen 3 NVGs?
Changes that defined Gen III were
Introduction of Gallium arsenide photocathode and the use of an aluminum oxide protective coating on the input side of the MCP
What did Gallium Arsenide provide in Gen 3 NVGs?
- Gallium Arsenide changed the spectral sensitivity of the NVG. Made it more sensitive in the near IR
A. Shift to the near IR better matches the energy in the night sky.
What is the spectral sensitivity of the NVGs?
Peak sensitivity?
400 to 950 nm (.4-.9 microns)
peak sensitivity being 600-900nm (.6-.9micron)
What does Aluminum Oxide in the MCP provide the GEN III NVG?
Negatives?
- Protects the photocathode from Ion bombardment created by MCP
- Consequence of the introduction is increase in voltage between MCP and photocathode. Therefore had to increase distance to prevent sparking.
A. Which in turn increases halo size
FLIR stands for?
Forward Looking Infrared
What are key features of a targeting FLIR?
The ability to slew and magnify.
What was the Go/No-Go for the AN/PVS -5? And why does it matter?
The Go/No-Go was at least 20% of the moon disc illumination at least 30 degrees in the sky. (I.e the 20/30 rule)
This rule is roughly equivalent to 0.0022 lux, which is the threshold for HLL.
What is sensor fusion?
The melding of data from different sensors to form a complete view of the scene.
3 noticeable improvements with the WP I2 tubes?
1.Reduction in Halo size
- Increased obstacle detection distances
- Reduced time for target correlation during ordnance employment
What is Illuminance? What is it expressed in?
The amount of light generated from a source. Expressed in Lux
The amount of light generated by a source is called what?
Illuminance
The amount an object reflects is called what? How is it expressed?
Luminance; (ft-L) foot lamberts
Define luminance?
The amount of light an object reflects
What is albedo?
The relationship/ratio between Illuminance(generated light) and luminance (or reflected light).
What are the factors that will determine how an object appears on the FLIR?
- Temperature
- Thermal history
- Emissivity
- Thermal mass
- Thermal inertia
What determines thermal energy?
An objects exposure to 1 of 3 principle sources of thermal energy:
a. Solar
b. Man Made
c. Thermal reflection
What is Emissivity? And Why does it matter?
The ability of an object to emit energy compared to a blackbody at the same temperature
Emissivity determines how much of the energy detected by a FLIR. Is from self emission and how much is reflected radiant energy
What is Thermal mass?
- The ability of an object to store heat
- Thermal mass is determined by temperature, mass, and type of material.
- Is reflected in a measurement called specific heat
What is Thermal Inertia?
- Is the rate at which objects change temperature and dependent upon combination of thermal mass and thermal resistance.
- Ultimately the thermal inertia that varies the heating and cooling cycle for different objects in the natural scene that allows for good contrast
What are the 3 major factors that influence NVD performance?
- Illumination/thermal scene
- Terrain contrast
- Atmospheric conditions