WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- During the Dec. 5, 2021 unit training assembly, three 445th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment (AFE) Reserve Citizen Airmen perform operational maintenance checks on the unit’s night vision goggles (NVGs), making sure everything was mission ready when given to an aircrew member before a night flight.
NVGs allow aircrew and pilots the capability of flying night missions. They not only enhance ambient light to help see at night, but they also allow for covert operations invisible to the human eye.
NVGs are operations checked pre-flight by pilots and are post-mission checked by AFE personnel. During post-flight inspections of the night vision goggles, AFE members check batteries, nobs and lenses. They also zero the lenses out to the lowest setting so each pilot can adjust them to their own vision.
NVGs are optoelectronic image enhancement devices that work by sensing small amounts of infrared light that are reflected off objects and then electrically amplifying that light into a characteristic glowing green image.
Aircrew members use NVGs attached to their helmets for night missions.
“Pilots also check out ALEPs (aircrew laser eye protection glasses) when they check out NVGs,” said Master Sgt. Michael Scinto, AFE section supervisor.
Aircrew laser eye protection glasses protect eyesight from high intensity lasers which are not visible to the naked eye.
“High powered lasers are becoming more obtainable and pilots can utilize ALEPS to protect their eyes from lasers being shot into the cockpit,” said Tech. Sgt. Ryan Brenner, NCO in charge of night vision goggles/training.
Brenner added that infrared laser are actually available in overt and covert, visually, so ALEPs are available in day and night versions.
AFE perform operations checks on many pieces of equipment for aircrew members and each piece of equipment is just as important as the next. NVGS are put through a comprehensive inspection every six months.
“The purpose of the six month inspection is to look for defects in the actual lens of the googles,” said Devin Litton, another AFE Airmen.