ITT awarded $11.4 million special ops night vision contract

ITT Corporation has been awarded an $11.4 million contract to supply image intensification tubes for existing night vision goggles to the United States Special Operations Command. Under this contract, ITT’s Night Vision business will provide generation (gen) 3 thin-filmed Pinnacle tubes that the U.S. military has recognized as the most advanced night vision technology available, producing the clearest, sharpest night vision image for U.S. warfighters.

“ITT’s gen 3 night vision technology gives operators the tactical advantage they need to safely execute critical precision nighttime missions that support the strategic interests of the U.S. and its allies,” said Mike Hayman, president of ITT’s Night Vision business. “We are committed to supplying U.S. and allied warfighters with the world’s best night vision technology, and we are particularly honored to be the supplier of choice for our special operating forces.”

Night vision goggles with gen 3 image intensifying tubes have the ability to detect available light with more than 10 times the power of previous generations. They are designed for use in all night vision systems that use inverting tubes including aviation goggle, ground systems and weapon sights. The tube inverts the image received from the optical lens 180 degrees. This eliminates the need for the eyepiece to perform this function, saving size and weight for the warfighter.

ITT’s Night Vision business, based in Roanoke, Va., is the world’s leading developer, producer and supplier of head- and helmet-mounted night vision solutions and image intensifiers for U.S. and allied military forces, as well as the homeland security market. ITT has served the U.S. military with premier research, development, production and logistics for analog and digital fusion solutions for 50 years.  ITT delivered its one millionth gen 3 image intensification tube in 2007.