peq 15

[hill 300]

does the use of the ir aiming laser on low or high power in conjunction with the ir illuminator or seperately burn the nv tube? with respect to a peq 16, the user must use the ir illuminator with the ir aimer. why was the ir aimer function joined with the illuminator function? if you have an illuminated scope behind a pvs 22 and just want illumination, you are out of luck.does a pulsating aiming laser reduce the chance of burning the tube? any light that could shed on these issues would be greatly appreciated. hill 300

[JSantoro]

You're worried about visible light, not IR. Current GenIII tubes are slated for 600-1100nm, if memory serves me correctly, and your PEQ device IR lasers are 835nm (+/-15nm). Well within the specified operational range of the tube.

Visible light is the big killer, hence the reason that GenIII tubes are auto-gated the way they are, and shut off when introduced to sudden, intense visible light.

Even if IR lasers (illuminator or aim) were likely to do any damage to the tube, it wouldn't occur unless the I-square device was left turned on in view of the laser in question, stationary, for a very extended period of time. That could possibly burn a ghost image into the tube, but again, that's highly unlikely that you'd be stationary that long even if IR light was your concern.

[hill 300]

riverine: thank you for the reply. what is the purpose of a pulsating aiming or illuminating laser? is this intended to reduce ghost or burn spots? hill 300

[hill 300]

if the illuminator is linked to the aimer, i could envision a situation where a sniper wanted to keep a target illuminated for a long time which means the tube would be exposed to the aimer for the duration of the observation. hill 300

[JSantoro]

The only aim laser on any of the Insight-manufactured MFAL devices that pulses is on the PSQ-18, and that is to indicate that the user needs to adjust the cant of the weapon to match the range he has induced onto the device IOT take the shot with the M203.

On the PEQ-15, -16, and -16A, the aim lasers do not have a pulse setting. If they DO, your shit's broke.

The pulse setting capability on the illuminator has no real operational use, but serves to provide a command-and-control capability in much the same way as the pattern generators for the IR aim laser.

Example: Say your platoon leader wants to be able to identify his squads at night. He may specify that 1st Squad set their illuminators to an 8/sec pulse setting, 2nd Squad = 4/sec, 1st Squad = 2/sec.

Don't take that to heart. That's just one scenario among many-many, and it's not like there's a ton of doctrine written for MFAL device employemnt. Between pulse settings and pattern generators, there's all sorts of ways to make it easier to specifically identify your own people/maneuver elements, or incorporate those options into a no-radio nighttime comms plan.

Limited only by the imagination and the sudden arrival of the Good Idea Fairy. I've seen it taken WAY too far, and end up being an information overload, which is every bit as dangerous as having too little.

[JSantoro]

if the illuminator is linked to the aimer, i could envision a situation where a sniper wanted to keep a target illuminated for a long time which means the tube would be exposed to the aimer for the duration of the observation. hill 300

Sure, okay, but what I can't envision is a device meant to observe IR light and only the uppermost spectrum of visible light being damaged by the IR light source it's meant to detect. Doesn't sound right, and the only I-square devices I've ever seen get burned out or have an image burned into the tube were from being left on in lit conditions; pure white-light damage. Some of the burned-in imagery, we were able to fix ourselves by dark-washing the device, so it's not even always permanent damage.

Which all means exactly what I stated in that first sentence: I can't envision it, but I can find out for sure. I'll see about pinging one of our lab-coat brainiacs about it to be sure.

If you're seeing I-square devices with what appears to be damage, you might be seeing operational defects (edge shading or edge glow) which indicate a reliability issue already and should result in kicking it up the maintenance chain...or cosmetic blemishes (bright spots, emission points, black spots, fixed pattern noise, and/or chicken wire), which are merely imperfections from the manufacturer that are operationally acceptable.

[hill 300]

i am not in the service. what does eye square mean? thanks for your replies.

[JSantoro]

"I-square" is short for "image intensification."

Anything with a "AN/PVS-???" is an image intensification device.

[Iraq Ninja]

if the illuminator is linked to the aimer, i could envision a situation where a sniper wanted to keep a target illuminated for a long time which means the tube would be exposed to the aimer for the duration of the observation. hill 300


Keep in mind that the Bad Guys may have NVGs as well. We may rule the night, but others are getting the same kind of toys. I doubt a sniper would do what you envision...

[Victor]

You're worried about visible light, not IR. Current GenIII tubes are slated for 600-1100nm, if memory serves me correctly, and your PEQ device IR lasers are 835nm (+/-15nm). Well within the specified operational range of the tube.

Visible light is the big killer, hence the reason that GenIII tubes are auto-gated the way they are, and shut off when introduced to sudden, intense visible light.

Even if IR lasers (illuminator or aim) were likely to do any damage to the tube, it wouldn't occur unless the I-square device was left turned on in view of the laser in question, stationary, for a very extended period of time. That could possibly burn a ghost image into the tube, but again, that's highly unlikely that you'd be stationary that long even if IR light was your concern.

+1 here and I would add that the laser device would have to be lighting up a target at very short range.