The French defense procurement agency DGA has awarded Thales a follow-on contract for the delivery of an additional 3,000 O-NYX night vision goggles.
The additional systems will be delivered for deployment with French Army units in 2021, alongside the 3,500 O-NYX goggles already delivered.
Weighing less than 350 g, O-NYX goggles have a low-profile design that shortens the distance between the eyes and the center of gravity of the equipment to minimize neck strain, Thales says.
The goggles are manufactured at the Thales site in Saint-Héand and offer a 51° field of view, expanding the observed scene by 70% compared with conventional goggles.
According to the company, the goggle can work for up to 40 hours on a single charge and can run on standard AA batteries when needed.
The O-NYX program is part of moves to replace small equipment — items like handguns, helmets and bullet-proof vests — under the current French defense spending plan. For the O-NYX program, Thales’s partner Photonis enhanced the performance of its image intensification tubes and worked with the DGA and the French Army to validate its latest 4G tube technology, which increases optical performance by 50-60% compared to existing solutions.
“The French Army is known to be a demanding user with active experience in theatres. The deployment of the first O-NYX goggles with units in the field is a source of huge satisfaction for our teams. Importantly, this new product was co-developed with operational users every step of the way, reflecting Thales’s commitment to customer-centric innovation.” Benoit Plantier, VP Optronics and Missile Electronics activities at Thales, commented.
