o/t tank night vision sights question

[John Kettler]

One of Dad's many projects at Hughes was the DTV or Driver's Thermal Viewer for the Abrams, but I don't know when it was supposed to begin being fitted. I do know, though, that FSED (Full Scale Engineering Development) contract award was in 1985, since I have a big commemorative photo dated March 27 of that year.

Another night vision system, not mentioned, is LLLTV, Low Light Level TV.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LLLTV

Active IR was a German WW II invention, one the Russians adopted wholesale and caused great upset when we saw it in action during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The Syrians basically operated around the clock, completing changing the western perception of the nature of modern combat.

Wasn't aware the U.S. had deployed multispectral smoke in Iraq, but remember quite well when the Russians had it and we didn't. Used to give us nightmares in a Fulda Gap type scenario where we envisioned losing what few long range TOW shots there were and then having to fight the ERA covered tank horde in close. The carbon dioxide laser on late model M1s works pretty well through battlefield obscuration and ordinary smoke, but is helpless vs. high levels of suspended particulates and multispectral smokes.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Huntarr]

I posted this awhile back in Skunkworks. Thought you'd like it John.

The .gif is the GALIX system but the video link shows US forces deploying multispec from the POV from inside US units using TI.

multi Spectrum smoke