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Combat operations at night have changed dramatically over the last two decades. Faced with increasingly sophisticated adversaries, or adversaries at eye level, today's soldiers need the right tools to be successful and superior in a wide variety of missions - in changing conditions, from fog to clear moonlight, in dense vegetation or in brightly lit urban areas.
Night vision systems with advanced image intensifier tube technology provide enhanced visibility in low light conditions, allowing troops to detect and engage targets before they are detected. Night vision technology has also developed significantly in recent years. It offers improved image quality, higher sensitivity and overall increased performance to meet the new challenges on the battlefield. The latest innovation is night vision monoculars or goggles with integrated image stabilization, fusion capabilities and AR (augmented reality).
"The performance of a night vision system depends largely on the type and quality of image intensifier tube technology used," says Sven Rowley, Account Management Director Western Europe at L3Harris Technologies. "The challenge for defence organizations today is that there are few meaningful industry-wide test standards that objectively compare tubes and provide quantitative data on key characteristics."
A history of innovation
Image intensifier tube technology originated before World War II, but the first generation (Gen I) was not developed until the 1960s. Since then, technological improvements have led to the introduction of several generations of image intensifier tubes based on US military definitions. The Gen II tubes came onto the market in the late 1970s and expanded the range of applications with improved photocathodes and the introduction of microchannel plates. This increased the resolution and service life of the tubes. The Gen III tubes, which are now widely used in Western armed forces for tactical operations due to their higher sensitivity, introduced a gallium arsenide photocathode and an ion barrier for the microchannel plates in the 1980s, again significantly increasing resolution, brightness and lifetime.
"As a trusted innovator in the defense industry, L3Harris Technologies goes a step beyond the competition to deliver an uncoated Gen III tube that provides exceptional resolution and longer lifetime, even in low light," said Jon Burnsed, Senior Systems Engineering Scientist at L3Harris. "The elimination of the ion barrier and the integration of automatic light control to adapt to bright light conditions enable more sophisticated tactical mission systems." As there is no military specification for a designation such as "Gen IV" or even "Gen V", such a tube generation does not currently exist, added Sven Rowley.
Gen III tubes are still the standard. One change concerns the general color change from green phosphor to white phosphor. The only exception is for military pilots, who still require green phosphor. As Gen III remains the standard, the main differences are in the life of the tubes and the Figure of Merit (FOM). This important performance indicator is calculated by multiplying the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of an image intensifier tube by its center resolution (lines per millimeter). A higher FOM value means higher image sharpness, better performance in low light and a greater target detection range. Today, the FOM value can be well above 3,000, but this comes at a price. Although the standard for cross-cutting forces in the West is 2,200, special operations forces use FOM values between 2,400 and 2,600, with the exception of the US armed forces and the so-called Five Eyes (FVEY), an intelligence alliance consisting of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. All of these can acquire higher FOM tubes.
There are several factors that clearly set Gen III tubes - especially uncoated Gen III tubes - apart from other options on the market. For example, the gallium arsenide photocathode significantly improves low-light sensitivity and provides the higher gain required for covert operations in total darkness without active illumination.
The advantage of uncoated tubes starts with the microchannel plate. Eliminating the input ion barrier film significantly increases durability, reduces the risk of impact damage and reduces halo size. This, combined with the more powerful Gen III photocathode and ultra-fine microchannel plate, results in a higher signal-to-noise ratio and therefore clearer and more detailed images. Many factors contribute to the longer life of Gen III night vision devices, starting with the ion barrier film. L3Harris' advanced technology completely eliminates this problem while extending the life of the tubes by years. Other factors in the extended operating life include thermal management, automatic gate control and advanced manufacturing techniques.
"Only L3Harris Gen III tubes - engineered to the highest standards and manufactured under the most rigorous industry conditions - provide the decisive tactical advantage in the darkest environments," said Rowley. "They have proven reliable over 20,000 hours of operation, especially in the often mixed-light urban environments that frequently define today's battlefield."
L3Harris introduces new NOVA night vision goggles
The NOVA night vision goggles from L3Harris Technologies celebrated its world premiere at the Shot Show 2025 in Las Vegas and now its European premiere at Enforce Tac 2026. For the US armed forces at least, it is set to become the new "all-purpose night vision goggles" of the future for every soldier. According to L3Harris, it also marks the beginning of a new era in night vision technology.
"We are meeting the needs of the U.S. Army, armed forces worldwide and security agencies by developing a system that provides critical night vision capabilities at scale," said Brenna Baker, president of Integrated Vision Solutions at L3Harris. "The Nova is the night vision system that this generation of soldiers will think of when someone says 'night vision'." The goal: to equip every soldier in the West with night vision goggles to rule the night. Nowadays, combat and frontline units equip themselves with state-of-the-art night vision goggles for their missions. With the Nova, L3Harris now wants to offer the rest of the armed forces a suitable solution. Also because Ukraine has shown how important superior night vision devices are. "The Army wanted a future-proof system, and these goggles fulfill that requirement," said Matt Lufkin, Head of Product Management at L3Harris. "The design of the Nova system, based on the integrated image intensifier tube, is the future of night vision for us."
The Nova system is the commercial version of the Binocular Night Observation Device (BiNOD) developed by L3Harris for the U.S. Army, Lufkin said. Development of the device began in 2021 with a focus on the Army's key criteria for replacing the aging PVS-14: a cost-effective binocular night vision goggle that can be used universally and in a consistent configuration. Although L3Harris' latest night vision goggle targets a price point that allows land forces to procure the Nova system in bulk, it still offers the features customers expect. One of the biggest lifecycle cost savings comes from the ease of maintenance and reduced downtime of the goggles. For example, if an image intensifier tube needs to be replaced, thanks to the new USB-C interface, all it takes is four screws to replace the damaged components and get the system up and running again.
L3Harris continues to believe that the Enhanced Night Vision Goggles (ENVG-B) and Binocular Night Vision Devices (BNVD) - with improved threat detection, longer battery life and optimized immersion - will be the preferred night vision systems for frontline combat units and special forces in the foreseeable future. Nova is the cross-cutting solution for the rest of the armed forces, also known as the "Green Army" in the US.
"The first to benefit from a Nova system will be soldiers, border patrol agents and tactical forces who previously did not have high-quality night vision equipment," said Lufkin. "Nova night vision goggles are inexpensive to purchase and operate. They provide these units with more military capabilities than before." The goggles use 3rd generation 18-millimeter white phosphor tubes manufactured in-house by L3Harris. The Nova weighs 542 grams and can be operated with AA batteries. With lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, the operating time is up to 30 hours or more. Other features include adjustable diopters for both tubes, an infrared illuminator for close range, high gain settings and automatic shut-off when a monocle or eyeglasses are folded away. L3Harris is currently developing a technical roadmap for future versions of the Nova product line, including an improved version with a partial head-up display, integrated rechargeable battery and increased water resistance (IP68).
Fusion goggles become the new standard for special forces
The night vision and thermal imaging technology of the BNVD-Fused (BNVD-F) offers advanced features and state-of-the-art capabilities to target and neutralize threats in adverse conditions day and night. Combined with L3Harris' Smart Batterypack, this helmet-mounted system delivers critical information from the battlefield directly to the user's eye.
BNVD-Fused is the most advanced situational awareness goggle on the market. The combination of white phosphor and thermal imaging technology enables responders to detect, engage and neutralize threats faster, according to L3Harris.
BNVD-Fused utilizes image intensification technology in combination with thermal imaging to enhance the performance of both sensors. This provides operators with enhanced capabilities, a wider field of view and greater thermal range - significant improvements over previous models. Operators now benefit from improved situational awareness for target acquisition and identification in all battlefield and lighting conditions. They can superimpose the image of the weapon sight on the goggles and shoot around corners, reducing the risk of camouflage - speeding up operations while increasing soldier safety. BNVD-Fused is based on the combat-proven L3Harris FGE and BNVD/PVS-31A and responds to near-infrared targeting lasers. This solution is compatible with the L3Harris Smart Battery Pack, which offers advanced features such as wireless communication and augmented reality (AR).
Digital battlefield integration with CMNDO
A particularly innovative element is the CMNDO module (Compact Multi-Node Display Overlay), which is attached to the back of the helmet underneath the standard Smart Battery Pack. It adds an augmented reality interface to the BNVD-Fused system.
The module offers the soldier
- Colored overlay in the field of view with a resolution of 640 × 480 pixels
- Live video streaming function, for example from a tactical drone
- Display of points of interest (POIs), images, videos and live streams directly in the night vision goggles
- Connection to the soldier system and integration into the radio network via encrypted ultra-wideband
Even without the CMNDO module, the BNVD-F in combination with the Smart Battery Pack offers a wide range of basic digital functions such as GPS, digital compass, time and altitude display. By adding the CMNDO module, points of interest (POIs), images, videos or even live streams can be displayed in the night vision goggles and information from the soldier system can be integrated. With this solution, L3Harris currently offers the most modern and comprehensive night vision system on the market - with the highest image quality and full operational capability. Thanks to its modular expandability, a decision can be made depending on the mission profile as to whether augmented reality is required or not - enabling flexibility and cost savings when deploying troops.
The CMNDO is currently being tested in several NATO countries. It delivers real-time information directly into the field of view - wirelessly, but with minimal electromagnetic signature thanks to the ultra-wideband (UWB) network for low-emission real-time data transmission and over 3.5 hours of operation. The CMNDO module weighs approx. 140 grams.
The body-worn system and the associated goggles are compatible with various radio networks and battle management systems (BMS). This provides the user with information on positions, digital compass heading, time, blue force tracking, location and information (PLI), picture-in-picture display (of unmanned systems), radar diagram, battery indicator and operating mode display.
L3Harris' local partner in Germany and other European countries is IEA MIL-Optics (stand 7-747). The solutions and innovations from L3Harris can be viewed at the stand, although some solutions may only be shown to official government representatives.
