The Four-Eyed Night Vision Goggles that Helped Take Down Bin Laden

[SvenSvensonov]

When Seal Team Six kicked in the front door of Al Qaeda's top brass back in 2011, you can be sure they didn't spend any time looking for a light switch. Not when they had these cutting-edge, panoramic night vision goggles in front of their faces.

Don't confuse these with the helmet-mounted FLIR systems also widely used by Special Operations forces. Night vision relies on image intensification, which gathers incoming low-level light, converts those photons into an electrical signal, amplifies the signal, and then displays the boosted light-level image on a green phosphor screen. Green is the color of choice because the human eye is uncannily adept at differentiating between shades of green compared to other hues.

FLIR, on the other hand, doesn't boost anything—it generates a false-color display of the observed infrared radiation (aka heat) signature from whatever you're looking at. When combined, the two technologies prove a potent pair—the night vision allows for long range spotting under normal conditions while the IR augments that capability when ambient light levels are low or the target is obscured by fog, dust, buildings, and whathaveyou.

But even among advanced NV/IR systems, the $65,000 Ground Panoramic Night Vision Goggle (GPNVG, aka the GPNVG—18 referring to its 18mm imaging tubes) from L-3 Warrior Systems stands out—largely because of the extra monocular lenses poking out from either side of the unit. They may look rather silly but these extra lenses afford a much wider field of view than that of conventional goggles which gives our warfighters a distinct advantage.

Per L-3:

The GPNVG is a helmet-mounted night vision device with a wide 97-degree horizontal field of view that allows for observation and/or target identification under adverse conditions and is ruggedized for ground applications. Individual monoculars can be detached from the system and powered with included power adapter to provide a low profile handheld night vision monocular.

The two central intensifier tubes operate just like regular night vision goggles, providing the conventionally overlapping, binocular-like image. The two added tubes on either side provide a similarly offset views from the outer edges of the central image. Essentially, it's like looking through two pair of binoculars set side by side for an unprecedented total field of vision of 97 degrees. This means our special forces will be able to clear corners faster and more securely with just a glance rather than swiveling their entire head like an owl. What's more, the additional tubes can also be popped off the frame and used as standalone monocles.

The GPNVG-18 weighs 27 ounces and is powered for as much as 30 hours of continual use by a quartet of CR123As. You can actually pick up a pair for yourself on either Amazon or eBay, if you've got an extra $35,000 burning a hole in your pocket.

From The Four-Eyed Night Vision Goggles that Helped Take Down Bin Laden

 

[hkdas]

View attachment 146125
When Seal Team Six kicked in the front door of Al Qaeda's top brass back in 2011, you can be sure they didn't spend any time looking for a light switch. Not when they had these cutting-edge, panoramic night vision goggles in front of their faces.

Don't confuse these with the helmet-mounted FLIR systems also widely used by Special Operations forces. Night vision relies on image intensification, which gathers incoming low-level light, converts those photons into an electrical signal, amplifies the signal, and then displays the boosted light-level image on a green phosphor screen. Green is the color of choice because the human eye is uncannily adept at differentiating between shades of green compared to other hues.

View attachment 146126

FLIR, on the other hand, doesn't boost anything—it generates a false-color display of the observed infrared radiation (aka heat) signature from whatever you're looking at. When combined, the two technologies prove a potent pair—the night vision allows for long range spotting under normal conditions while the IR augments that capability when ambient light levels are low or the target is obscured by fog, dust, buildings, and whathaveyou.

But even among advanced NV/IR systems, the $65,000 Ground Panoramic Night Vision Goggle (GPNVG, aka the GPNVG—18 referring to its 18mm imaging tubes) from L-3 Warrior Systems stands out—largely because of the extra monocular lenses poking out from either side of the unit. They may look rather silly but these extra lenses afford a much wider field of view than that of conventional goggles which gives our warfighters a distinct advantage.

Per L-3:

The GPNVG is a helmet-mounted night vision device with a wide 97-degree horizontal field of view that allows for observation and/or target identification under adverse conditions and is ruggedized for ground applications. Individual monoculars can be detached from the system and powered with included power adapter to provide a low profile handheld night vision monocular.

The two central intensifier tubes operate just like regular night vision goggles, providing the conventionally overlapping, binocular-like image. The two added tubes on either side provide a similarly offset views from the outer edges of the central image. Essentially, it's like looking through two pair of binoculars set side by side for an unprecedented total field of vision of 97 degrees. This means our special forces will be able to clear corners faster and more securely with just a glance rather than swiveling their entire head like an owl. What's more, the additional tubes can also be popped off the frame and used as standalone monocles.

The GPNVG-18 weighs 27 ounces and is powered for as much as 30 hours of continual use by a quartet of CR123As. You can actually pick up a pair for yourself on either Amazon or eBay, if you've got an extra $35,000 burning a hole in your pocket.

From The Four-Eyed Night Vision Goggles that Helped Take Down Bin Laden

GPNVG, Ground Panoramic Night Vision Goggle GSA

 

[senheiser]

you also forget his sisters and other children relatives, they were really good killing these innocent people

 

[TankMan]

The NVGs are cool and all but I'm really getting sick of people milking this Bin Laden story. 'Ooh look at this Dog which helped kill Bin Laden', 'This T-Shirt helped the SEALs kill Bin Laden', 'oohh look at these NVGs that helped kill Bin Laden',
Shirt worn by Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden dead to be displayed at 9/11 museum | Daily Mail Online
I mean seriously people, it's getting ridiculous.

 

[SvenSvensonov]

you also forget his sisters and other children relatives, they were really good killing these innocent people

Ha, ha, you funny! The Russian's are so good they kill their own people. The Beslan School siege, the Moscow theater crisis, each saw more people killed by the Russian military than by the Chechens. Operation Storm-333 saw over 200 people die, many unnecessarily. Would you like me to go on? I have many more examples of your beloved Russians doing the same, and at many times even worse. Does the Samashki Massacre sing any bells? How about the Novye Aldi Massacre?

The NVGs are cool and all but I'm really getting sick of people milking this Bin Laden story. 'Ooh look at this Dog which helped kill Bin Laden', 'This T-Shirt helped the SEALs kill Bin Laden', 'oohh look at these NVGs that helped kill Bin Laden',
Shirt worn by Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden dead to be displayed at 9/11 museum | Daily Mail Online
I mean seriously people, it's getting ridiculous.

I agree with you there. I'm tired the attention its receiving too and the people who are using it to endorse books or goods, however I think the kit is awesome.

 

[senheiser]

Ha, ha, you funny! The Russian's are so good they kill their own people. The Beslan School siege, the Moscow theater crisis, each saw more people killed by the Russian military than by the Chechens. Operation Storm-333 saw over 200 people die, many unnecessarily. Would you like me to go on? I have many more examples of your beloved Russians doing the same, and at many times even worse. Does the Samashki Massacre sing any bells? How about the Novye Aldi Massacre?

nope, no proof youre just talking bogus

 

[Imran Khan]

what abut that GPRS underwear whom helped to kill obl

 

[Shot-Caller]

Lets suppose OBL was killed in Pakistan. What did the world gain out of it? You have an even more violent and barbaric group ISIS you now have to deal with. Americans need to think from their heads if they really wanna end terrorism and not from their guns, Or they will only make way for more and more deaths of innocent civillians.

 

[SvenSvensonov]

Lets suppose OBL was killed in Pakistan. What did the world gain out of it? You have an even more violent and barbaric group ISIS you now have to deal with. Americans need to think from their heads if they really wanna end terrorism and not from their guns, Or they will only make way for more and more deaths of innocent civillians.

ISIS actually formed prior to the death of OBL, it just never acknowledged his authority, so his death didn't impact them in a lot of ways. It's gone under a few different names, but once ISIS was known as AQI (prior to that it was the Jordanian group JTJ), its leader was Al-Zarqawi, and it had been disowned by AQ Central for being too brutal and alienating Muslims. That was the first time it was disowned, the second time was after it changed its name to ISIS an began marauding through Iraq and Syria. Because AQI, and now ISIS don't recognize the authority of AQ Central, the death of OBL didn't have too much of an impact on the rise or longevity of ISIS. Either way the US made a mistake by propagating the conditions to foster and grow AQI/ISIS in the first place my creating instability in Iraq, but I don't want to get into the politics. If you do please find some else to do so with.

Here's some background information on the history of AQI/ISIS - ISIS: A Short History - The Atlantic

 

[Shot-Caller]

ISIS actually formed prior to the death of OBL, it just never acknowledged his authority, so his death didn't impact them in a lot of ways. It's gone under a few different names, but once ISIS was known as AQI (prior to that it was the Jordanian group JTJ), its leader was Al-Zarqawi, and it had been disowned by AQ Central for being too brutal and alienating Muslims. That was the first time it was disowned, the second time was after it changed its name to ISIS an began marauding through Iraq and Syria. Because AQI, and now ISIS don't recognize the authority of AQ Central, the death of OBL didn't have too much of an impact on the rise or longevity of ISIS. Either way the US made a mistake by propagating the conditions to foster and grow AQI/ISIS in the first place my creating instability in Iraq, but I don't want to get into the politics. If you do please find some else to do so with.

Here's some background information on the history of AQI/ISIS - ISIS: A Short History - The Atlantic

You completely missed the point. Anyways, the nightvision gear looks cool.

 

[Oldman1]

Lets suppose OBL was killed in Pakistan. What did the world gain out of it? You have an even more violent and barbaric group ISIS you now have to deal with. Americans need to think from their heads if they really wanna end terrorism and not from their guns, Or they will only make way for more and more deaths of innocent civillians.

Well let me ask you this, how would you end terrorism in your country which has been going on for a very long time?

 

[Shot-Caller]

Well let me ask you this, how would you end terrorism in your country which has been going on for a very long time?

Very long time? Not before America went into Afghanistan we never heard the word suicide bomber here. We are paying the price for an alliance that we were bullied into. Now you tell me one attack on twin towers and all the Muslim world in chaos. Why? Wasnt Libya a better place before America intervened? Wasnt Iraq a better place before America intervened? Wasnt Afghanistan a better place before America intervened? Americans enter, make a mess and leave. The locals have to pay the price. Your think tanks need to realize that they have failed misreably. One after the other these terrorist organizations keep popping up. Your people just faced one 9/11. Do you know how many innocents have been killed after that. As far as the terrorism in my country is concerned I dont know how its going to end. If it was to be ended by force America would have succeeded everywhere it entered.

 

[Oldman1]

Very long time? Not before America went into Afghanistan we never heard the word suicide bomber here. We are paying the price for an alliance that we were bullied into. Now you tell me one attack on twin towers and all the Muslim world in chaos. Why? Wasnt Libya a better place before America intervened? Wasnt Iraq a better place before America intervened? Wasnt Afghanistan a better place before America intervened? Americans enter, make a mess and leave. The locals have to pay the price. Your think tanks need to realize that they have failed misreably. One after the other these terrorist organizations keep popping up. Your people just faced one 9/11. Do you know how many innocents have been killed after that. As far as the terrorism in my country is concerned I dont know how its going to end. If it was to be ended by force America would have succeeded everywhere it entered.

Wait wait...you are telling me that Pakistan has never faced terrorism before 9/11? And that what is happening right now with all the bombings by your own Muslim brethren should be blamed on America? I mean if they want to target America, they should have done it. Instead I see Muslims killing other Muslims by bombing in markets and mosques, why is that? There are many conflicts in the Middle East even before America was involved if you haven't notice. We faced 9/11 and responded and who pays the price? When Japan attacked the U.S. in Pearl Harbor, they lost millions while we lost thousands, don't complain about it.

And good to see that you don't know how its going to end in your country and you are telling America how we should rethink our policies towards terrorists.

 

[Shot-Caller]

Wait wait...you are telling me that Pakistan has never faced terrorism before 9/11? And that what is happening right now with all the bombings by your own Muslim brethren should be blamed on America? I mean if they want to target America, they should have done it. Instead I see Muslims killing other Muslims by bombing in markets and mosques, why is that? There are many conflicts in the Middle East even before America was involved if you haven't notice. We faced 9/11 and responded and who pays the price? When Japan attacked the U.S. in Pearl Harbor, they lost millions while we lost thousands, don't complain about it.

And good to see that you don't know how its going to end in your country and you are telling America how we should rethink our policies towards terrorists.

Yes im telling you we were not affected by this intensity of terrorism before 9/11. And how America is to be blaimed for muslims bombing muslims,I'll tell you. Its because after 9/11 your forces used our country to to do whatever they wanted to do in Afghanistan. Why we pay the price and America doesnt get attacked is because we are in their neighbourhood easy to reach whereas america is not so easy to reach for them. Even a 5th grader kid would understand these things I hope you do too. And yes America needs to rethink because where ever it goes it makes a mess and leaves without cleaning it up. The people who help,willfully or underpressure, pay the price later on.