FLIR Boresighting & very dark night
-
@suhkoi69 that is what I stated If you want to have it a wider FOV ie circle just make your own overlay as it just a image with an alpha map and saved as dds.
Several round nvg mask for different screen resolutions
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TkkDFv1tRrR4Bgqs7lTvBb8oJh0Uct6m/view?usp=sharing -
@awmk1 said in FLIR Boresighting & very dark night:
@suhkoi69 U3 seemed to fixNVGs worst flaw for me. U2 on a moonless night FLIR was better than the goggles.
This is somewhat realistic, Gen3 NVGs do not perform as well on complete darkness nights. This is why you have IR illuminators mounted on ground equipment/goggles, but at aviation ranges, they aren’t useful (except TGP IR pointer)
@suhkoi69 said in FLIR Boresighting & very dark night:
@oakdesign you are right ! fullscreen NVG is not realistic but the realistic FOV use doesnt bring any interest in current version for the reasons I mentioned previously…
I guess the current NVG FOV is well 40°…
Yes, but one thing you’ll notice is that as you change FOV, the NVG FOV doesn’t actually change, so if it doesn’t work at your favorite FOV, modify it. At my normal FOV it is close. Again though, NVGs in RL are not used to look inside the cockpit! I’d be happy to share the .pdf of the ppt that I got that image from, the new boards won’t let me attach it.Also in case anyone asks, panoramic NVGs (100 degree fov) did not pan out for use in fighters due to their weight and bulk.
-
This post is deleted! -
@suhkoi69 agree 100% NVG should depend on object’s self radiation and not reflections from moon or an early morning sun. The way it is now gives an impression that objects do not radiate at all. Also, the contrast of the TGP is terribly in need of adjustment. Contrast of objects and terrain changes as you change the magnification and at some point one can’t tell terrain from object.
-
This post is deleted! -
@oakdesign said in FLIR Boresighting & very dark night:
@suhkoi69 that is what I stated If you want to have it a wider FOV ie circle just make your own overlay as it just a image with an alpha map and saved as dds.
Several round nvg mask for different screen resolutions
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TkkDFv1tRrR4Bgqs7lTvBb8oJh0Uct6m/view?usp=sharingdefault nvgmask.dds file is ok for my screen resolution (32/9)
I’d like to know how to do to increase the circle to get this ( see below). indeed, the current FOV is well too small according to the data found
-
NVGs will perform poorly if there’s little to no ambient light since the photocathode needs visible and near visible radiation (400 nm to 1000 nm) to work at all. FLIR uses longer wavelengths (no visible) of 3000 nm to 12000 nm so infrared. Unless you’re flying over the Arctic, FLIR will provide useful visual information based on the relative IR emissions of things radiating on the ground.
-
I see, then the FLIR is more useful than NVG. I thought both use IR radiations, apparently not. But in BMS the FLIR image do not entirely fill the block 40 HUD. It looks as though it’s made for the standard F-16 HUD (blocks 32 & below as well as 52 & above).
-
@alfred Gen 1 NVGs used IR illuminators but these are naturally limited in range and give away the position of the operator. Current NVGs only amplify ambient visible and near IR, i.e. they don’t have an illuminator.
-
NVGs can “see” some of the IR range but also intensifies visible range light, that’s why illuminators and other IR devices can be useful. FLIR works specifically in the IR range.
For aviation NVGs thats true then don’t have illuminators. But you will still see modern ground sets with illuminators, like the AN/PVS-15 (M953). It is useful for situations like being indoors with a completely blacked out building. Also weapon mounted IR lasers/illuminators may also be used for aiming and as a flashlight, plus IR strobes for IFF.
The Sniper pod has its own version of this with the IR pointer, IR light you can see in the NVGs to see where the TGP is pointed. The U.S. (and somewhat allies) have depended on the IR devices with NVGs for a lot of things since it was invisible to our opponents, but now as NVGs proliferate they are having to develop other strategies since you just went from being invisible to now having beacons of light when others use NVGs too.
Goggles still have there place in a modern fighter cockpit, it’s a different tool than FLIR, which is some of the frustration @suhkoi69 and others is that one of it’s make uses is keeping formation lights out, often with IR covert light. Also they are useful for general navigation, close range target identification, etc. Some of the things you do NOT use them for is during landing (they do not have enough depth of perception even with 40° FOV binoculars), to look inside the cockpit, and while using the JHMCS.
-
“Darkness” has no effect on a FLIR or EO weapon - like an IR MAV; only thermal contrast. OTOH, an NVG is a light amplifying device, so yes - they are at their worst in mean starlight/no moon, and may also be bloomed if there is too ambient much light.
…forex, the plume from a MAV launch can bloom NVG in some circumstances. Which I managed to find out when performing a RL shot from
a Harrier at night for the first time.