| Night vision technology is used with many optical | | | | determined by the U.S. Army Night Vision and |
| pieces of tactical gear. As soldiers and law | | | | Electronic Sensors Directorate. The latest is titled GEN |
| enforcement officials may need to see in darker or | | | | III OMNI-VII, which uses an automatic gated power |
| cloudy conditions, such a device greatly helps in this | | | | supply system to regulate the photocathode voltage. |
| aspect. Essentially, a night vision device, or NVD, is any | | | | This allows the NVD to adapt instantly to any lighting |
| piece of tactical gear that allows images to be | | | | conditions. These devices may also be equipped with |
| produced in levels of light that approach and include | | | | a thinned ion barrier, which decreases the amount of |
| darkness. Weapon sights, including holographic weapon | | | | electrons; this results in less image noise when the |
| sights (HWS), are common NVDs used by soldiers | | | | device is being used for viewing. Additionally, an NVD |
| and law enforcement professionals. | | | | operates at a luminous sensitivity at 2850k of only 700. |
| This technology has actually been in place with tactical | | | | Various pieces of optical tactical gear are equipped |
| gear since World War II, although it was wider used | | | | with such technology. Weapon sights with this |
| during the Vietnam War. All current NVDs consist of | | | | technology are the most common, although others, |
| an image-intensified tube that is water-resistant and | | | | such as monoculars, binoculars, goggles, and day/night |
| has a mounting device built in. Additionally, the device | | | | vision systems, are equipped with such features. |
| may be equipped with a sacrificial lens, infrared | | | | These pieces of tactical gear are available in GEN I, |
| illuminators, and a telescopic lens. | | | | GEN II+, GEN III, GEN III OMNI-VII systems on the |
| Much like tactical clothing, such as the GEN III ECWCS, | | | | market. |
| NVDs are also grouped into generations that are | | | | |