Evaluation of Night Vision Goggles (NVG) for Maritime Search and Rescue (Joint Canadian/U.S. Coast Guard Experiment)

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Evaluation of Night Vision Goggles (NVG) for Maritime Search and Rescue (Joint Canadian/U.S. Coast Guard Experiment)

R. Q. Robe / J. V. Plourde / R. L. Marsee

Three experiments were conducted in 1989 and three more were conducted in 1990 by the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development (RD) Center to evaluate night vision goggles (NVGs) for their effectiveness in detecting small targets at night. Three types of NVGs have been evaluated: the AN/AVS-6 Aviators Night Vision Imaging System (ANVIS) NVG has been tested onboard U.S. Coast Guard HH-3 and CH-3 helicopters, and the AN/PVS-5C and AN/PVS-7A NVGs have been tested onboard U.S. Coast Guard 41 -foot utility boats (UTBs) and a U.S. Coast Guard 210-foot medium endurance cutter and a Canadian Coast Guard 234-foot (71.5-meter) ship. During the fall 1990 experiment in the waters of Canso Bank off the coast of Nova Scotia, the medium endurance cutter and Canadian Coast Guard ship were employed in realistically-simulated search missions for 4- and 6-person lighted and unlighted life rafts with retroreflective tape. This interim report discusses the results of the Canso Bank experiment. Search and Rescue, Night Vision, Night Vision Goggles, Sweep Width, Unlighted Targets, Lighted Targets, Search, Life Raft, Lighted, Unlighted.