Integrated Day/Night Sight

What Is It?

The Integrated Day/Night Sight Technology (IDNST) program will develop and demonstrate 2-pound individual and 5-pound crew-served weapon sights capable of day, night and thermal imaging along with laser pointing and ranging capabilities.

How Does It Work?

IDNST combines direct view optics with short-wave infrared (SWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) imagers in order to see from daylight through starlight and into total darkness, through haze and smoke. A naturally occurring phenomenon known as “sky glow” emits photons in the SWIR spectrum, enabling discrimination between friend and foe at longer ranges than possible with image intensifiers. SWIR imagers can also see laser pointers and range-finders for better situational awareness.

What Will It Accomplish?

IDNST will lighten the warfighter’s load and reduce battery resupply logistics by integrating the functions currently performed by direct view optics, night sights, thermal sights, laser pointers and range-finders. The weapon sights will enable threat identification out to effective weapon ranges from
day through starlight; provide the ability to manipulate functions while maintaining ready-to-fire position; and allow two-eye open operation in close quarters, provide video and data uplink capability and increase P-hit via corrected aim point.

The Integrated Day/Night Sight Technology initiative is a Future Naval Capability program that started in January 2010. The key technology objective is to enable identification of threats out to the effective ranges of individual and crew-served weapons during both day and night operations while maintaining strict size, weight and power (SWAP) budgets. Sight development is guided by the Office of Naval Research and several other organizations.

Performers—including L3 Insight Technology Inc. and Raytheon Network Centric Systems—are currently performing trade studies and design iterations to balance performance, SWAP and projected cost considerations.

Key technology enablers include developments in microbolometers and Defense Advanced Research Projects Ageny-sponsored developments in short-wave infrared (SWIR). The microbolometers image photons emit in the long-range infrafred (LWIR) spectrum to provide a high-contrast image in which detection of threats is enhanced through smokes, behind foliage and in total darkness (e.g., on cloudy moonless nights, in caves and interior rooms). SWIR imagers allow target identification from sunrise to starlight conditions and provide see-spot capability for laser pointers and range-finders. They can also image through glass whereas thermal imagers cannot. SWIR and LWIR imagers are complimentary components. 

Research Challenges and Opportunities:

  • Reduce SWIR focal plane dark current and other noise sources to improve imaging in lower light conditions, implement smaller pixels for better resolution, and lower power consumption by eliminating thermal electric coolers via implementation of nonuniformity corrections across the operational temperature range
  • Develop moving target and image fusion and stabilization algorithms with reduced computing power
  • Design optical systems that achieve superior imaging in the smallest size possible

Point of Contact

Dan Simons
(703) 696-4840
dan.simons@navy.mil

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