just kind of curious what it does and how it works, etc

The PEQ-2A emits both an IR Illuminator and IR laser that can not be seen with the naked eye but only with night vision image intensification technology, like the AN/PVS-7B/D, or AN/PVS-14.  

Imagine someone illuminating  your location and having a dot on your chest at 300 meters and you not being aware of it in the least...  

Quoted: The PEQ-2A emits both an IR Illuminator and IR laser that can not be seen with the naked eye but only with night vision image intensification technology, like the AN/PVS-7B/D, or AN/PVS-14.   Imagine someone illuminating  your location and having a dot on your chest at 300 meters and you not being aware of it in the least...

+1

Quoted: just kind of curious what it does and how it works, etc

as mentioned above, IR laser aiming device.

version we had mounts on the handguards and has a lever to turn on/off with your fingers.

you can also use it to signal aircraft, illuminate targets and the like.

so, similar to having a light and a laser on your rifle in the day time, except you'd only use it in the dark with night vision equipment?

Pretty much, except only people with night vision equipment will be able to see any of the output from your illuminator. The main drawback to a visible laser is that it readily gives away your position at night.

that's pretty interesting.  anyone have a picture of what it looks like through NV equipment?

There's a great video that someone had linked to previously...  Target being marked at night by one (or maybe more, can't remember) IR laser, and then hellfire being rained down upon it from the sky.  Anyone know where that clip is posted?

read thru the armory/ night vision section of the forums

here is an example

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=6&f=18&t=194673

Is an IR pointer; can't see it with the naked eye, but you can see it with NVGs; good for long distance shots at night. You can see it, they can't. the AN/PEQ2 is both visible/IR while the older AN/PAC4 is just IR. I have seen it even used to guide in strafing runs from AH-64 and UH-60 gunships in Iraq. very nice to watch.

These are handy illuminators.  What some people don't realize is NVG's don't work in total darkness.  They amplify light that isn't normally visible to the naked eye.  On a very cloudy night with no moon or starlight NVG's are paperweights unless you use some sort of illumination device.  The NVG's I used in the US Army had a small built-in IR light you could turn on but it only illuminate the area right in front of you.   The PEQ-2A goes out quite a long way and can serve as a marking point for other squad members to aim in on.    

Quoted: These are handy illuminators.  What some people don't realize is NVG's don't work in total darkness.  They amplify light that isn't normally visible to the naked eye.  On a very cloudy night with no moon or starlight NVG's are paperweights unless you use some sort of illumination device.  The NVG's I used in the US Army had a small built-in IR light you could turn on but it only illuminate the area right in front of you.   The PEQ-2A goes out quite a long way and can serve as a marking point for other squad members to aim in on.

Yep! On a cloudy night in Iraq during Desert Storm my NVG’s were useless!  Was like looking at a green TV screen full of static.  

anyone save the video of the ground soldiers lighting up the bad guys for the Cobra/Apache runs?

Kick-ass stuff!

It is halfway down page 2 and called "Light Show" (archive server)

We have done experiments to attempt to blind people with our laser illumination devices, especially instigators in riots. While it cannot be seen without NVD's, it is still a powerful laser device capable of causing damage to the human eye. Last I heard, results were mixed with some devastating damage and some people being completely oblivious to it. The USSR sold Iraq lasers to be used against Iran and later coalition forces which used similar technology as our IR illumination devices and was capable of blinding opponents, permanantly as it turns out. Through NVG's, these devices are pretty impressive and are worth every penny....

Please be careful what you write here on a public forum about warfare Tactics

["We have done experiments to attempt to blind people with our laser illumination devices....."]

Any device [laser] which sole purpose is to blind {permanently } a human being ..... is against the excepted rules of warefare and violation of this article is considered a "war Crime"

Blinding of a human being may be incidental to the devices main purpose [ ie. targeting device ] ..........and is perfectly legal, but if you state that your sole goal was to [ permanently ] blind the enemy, you open yourself to legal action from the World Courts.

There is a specific section in the rules of warfare about LASERS and BLINDING of people, incidental or accidental while using high power lasers designed to destroy Hard Targets by burning.

FYI.........


JF.

Quoted: Please be careful what you write here on a public forum about warfare Tactics ["We have done experiments to attempt to blind people with our laser illumination devices....."] Any device [laser] which sole purpose is to blind {permanently } a human being ..... is against the excepted rules of warefare and violation of this article is considered a "war Crime" Blinding of a human being may be incidental to the devices main purpose [ ie. targeting device ] ..........and is perfectly legal, but if you state that your sole goal was to [ permanently ] blind the enemy, you open yourself to legal action from the World Courts. There is a specific section in the rules of warfare about LASERS and BLINDING of people, incidental or accidental while using high power lasers designed to destroy Hard Targets by burning. FYI......... JF.

yeah, the tribal council will vote you off the desert and you'll have to come back home to mary jane rotten crotch...