When you're is in a combat zone, it's important to have the ability to see your opponents. That's why many soldiers use night vision or thermal imaging hardware to track their opposition in the black of night. But what if you could use both at the same time?
This is the idea behind a new pair of goggles that BAE Systems is developing for the military. "The Army has awarded the defense technology specialist a five-year contract worth up to $434 million for the system, which will give soldiers faster and more accurate targeting. The tech will work in all weather and lighting conditions," reports Fox News.
According to Fox News, the military relies on two vision enhancers in combat: night vision and weapon-mounted thermal targeting sights. If a soldier wants to shoot a target in the black of night, they have to "acquire targets through their goggles and then raise the weapon sight into their field of view." By combining the two types of vision, BAE Systems is able to provide the U.S. military with a simpler way to find a target and take them out without the extra effort of switching between viewing interfaces.
BAE Systems believes that "the technology will help military personnel acquire targets and engage enemy combatants faster, and also reduces the need for aiming lasers, enabling soldiers to remain hidden longer."
"The ability to conduct surveillance in any light or weather condition increases mission safety and effectiveness," said Terry Crimmins, BAE Systems' vice president and general manager of Survivability and Targeting Solutions.
The Pentagon hopes to use these goggles in battle by 2017.
