Evaluation of Night Vision Goggles (NVG) for Maritime Search and Rescue: HH-65A Sweep Width Verification and Laser Illuminator Evaluation
Abstract
The U.S. Coast Guard R&D Center conducted field tests to evaluate the search effectiveness of Coast Guard HH-65A helicopters equipped with night vision goggles (NVG). The purpose of the tests was to determine if the HH-65A's NVG search performance differed significantly from that of the Coast Guard HH-60J, and to assist the Coast Guard in deciding whether to continue to experiment with a near-infrared (IR), wide-area illuminator as an alternative to the aircraft's landing/hover lights. Helicopters searched test ranges for small boats, life rafts, and mannequins. Analysts collected aircraft and target positions, target detection logs, and environmental and human factors data. Following reconstruction and analysis, sweep width data from the two aircraft were compared. No statistically significant differences in NVG search performance were found between the two aircraft. HH-65A data were combined with existing HH-60J data to produce updated sweep width tables incorporating additional illumination, environmental, and human factors conditions. Active illumination improved sweep width under all conditions tested. Low-intensity, near-IR illumination provided a small sweep width improvement over landing lights when whitecaps were present.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA376017
Entities
People
- D. Larson
- H. Wallace
- Kenneth W. Gross
- T. Mcclay
Organizations
- United States Coast Guard Research & Development Center