Elbit Systems UK has been awarded a £13mn initial contract by the Ministry of Defence to provide the British Armed Forces with ‘XACT’ Night Vision Goggles.
The initial contract will be performed over an 18-month period with the potential for additional follow-on orders over a period of five years.
According to the firm:
“Under the contract, Elbit Systems UK will supply the lightweight micro binocular XACT nv33 NVGs in a helmet-mounted configuration. XACT nv33 NVG improves mission efficiency during dark conditions and enables safe, off-road vehicle driving without headlights. Systems from the XACT family have been selected by a number of NATO countries including Germany and the Netherlands, as well as by Israel, and are operationally proven.”
Elbit Systems UK CEO Martin Fausset said:
“The XACT nv33 NVG systems have already been proven to enhance the operational effectiveness of several militaries around the world and we are pleased with the opportunity to provide this capability to the UK. The manufacturing and delivery of the XACT nv33 NVGs will create more skilled jobs in the UK and demonstrate freedom of action and value for money to the UK customer.”
So how many sets does thirteen million pounds get you?
Hi Andrew
15 pairs … there are called Ajax Goggles 🤣🤣
Bloody hell! About one pair per 10 Regiments then!
“Our turn!”… “No it’s our turn…”
2/3k a pair but you hope volume discount. Are these fully manufactured in the uk (Ebit bought an old U.K. firm) or all in Israel?
So 43-65k
How’d you get that number. That would’ve been with 130 million pounds and 2/3k per device.
The only UK firm I was aware of was Qinoptiq who make most UK night vision devices.
Should be enough to rotate through the front line units + few spare.
There’s no need for 70,000 sets when we’ve got ~19,000 infantry + special forces although they would probably have there own sets.
Im fairly sure UKSF use American NVGs
It’s not just the fighty units that need them. The likes of logistics and engineers will use the cover of darkness as well to carry out their roles, they won’t want to be lit up for all to see.
Rotary aviators use them as well.
Its not just the Infantry who need night vision!
Just a question… what happens to all the other NVG’s that they have in stock already?
In a sensible world they’d be kept as a reserve, to be used by reserves and to replace lost or damaged kit.
Others would sell them.
Another useful option donate to ukraine.
The MOD will probably pay someone top dollar to take them off their hands instead 🙄
I’m sure these new ones are better.
Believe some portion of the current inventory has already been delivered to UKR, as part of UK arms transfer shipments.
If equipment is declared obsolete it will be disposed of by sale, gifting or scrapping – and usually quite quickly. We don’t keep equipment that has been superseded.
Probably sent to Army specialities that don’t need top performance. Drivers, engineers etc.
Edit: BobA below says these are for drivers.
What on earth has happened to Oxley? They’ve supplied NVGs for years to the military, including overseas?!?
Still trading…
They have been selected for Tempest and Boxer in the UK + the South Korean KF-X project…
I guess they were either too heavy or too expensive this time…
This Darren.
Anyone aware of how these fit in with Kestrel BNVDs? I was under the impression we had already begun replacing the PVS14 monoculars a few years ago, are nv33 going to replace those too?
Beer goggles get you home on auto pilot.
Just to be clear, these sets are for drivers; they’ll replace the existing binocular NVGs (LUCIE). This doesn’t replace the in service dismounted close combat monocular…. Although it’s about time that got replaced too. Everyone used to try and prof LUCIEs as they were much lighter and had depth perception.
This is good news. Their tech is something special and closer cooperation would benefit us greatly. Let’s hope this and Trophy are just the start.