The role of night vision equipment in military incidents and accidents

Abstract

Night vision devices provide enormous benefits. They enable personnel to carry out operations under conditions that would not otherwise be possible. However, these benefits carry considerable risks. For instance, individuals often become over confident about their ability to use image intensification and infrared devices. In consequence, the use of night vision equipment is an increasingly common factor in military incidents and accidents. This paper uses an analysis of incident and accident data to identify requirements for the successful deployment of night vision equipment. It is argued that these applications must be integrated more closely with existing navigational systems. The successful application of this technology also depends upon adequate risk assessment and team-based training. © 2004 by International Federation for Information Processing. All rights reserved.