So today I got to handle some Night vision PVS – 15 "style" goggles at the Navy Seal base in San Diego. These are the ones that this particular Seal Team actually uses in the field. I noticed that the screen wasn't green but almost a blue color. Is this the white phosphorus tubes? Also, the Seal that was showing them to me had them turned on while the lights were on in the armory room...which I thought wasn't a good idea??  Just curious if anyone knows if this is new technology or something that is standard issue?  Was pretty cool to see some of their gear.

WP's change with lighting conditions from what I've seen.

From white to blue and inbetween.

And why wouldn't he. He doesn't have to pay for them if they get fubared.

Seems like a standard time you were shown.

Those tubes were autogated and he probably had daylight filter covers on the objective lenses as well. Both protect against tube damage in high light environments. The means by which each ccomplish this are very different but by limiting the amount of photoelectrons that pass through the photocathode and are converted into electrons. This results in less electrons making into the micro channel plate and that means reduced secondary electron emission. Because of that, less electrons hit the phosphor screen which then results in less electrons being converted back into photoelectrons which are what create the Image viewed through the output screen. So when the the amount of light allowed to enter the tube in high light environments is limited in one form or another, especially when using  multiple different forms of light limiting factors in conjuction with each other at the same time, the image isnt able to bloom from over exposure when tube is subjected to very high light levels and damage is less likely to occur.

Im sure that is why he turned them on in a well lit room to show you what they were like.

I  cant be positive on this, because you never know what someone else is thinking, but find it hard to imagine that at least a large majority of Navy Seals would turn on a an expensive piece equipment to show someone if they knew it would  be  damaged or destroyed from doing so. And im sure they would know this as they are highly trained on the propper use of their equipment and have, I would think, at least a good bit of knowledge on the mechanics of such devices that they deploy to help keep them safe in dangerous situations and hostile environments. But like I said thats my thought on that and I could be wrong.

Heres some pics through my L3 WP tubes with no filters.

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The same tubes with amber filters installed turns the image "black and white"

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Heres another one showing a more white-ish color than blue.

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It all depends on the ambient lightning.

Auto whitebalance on digital cameras will change the color of your green tubes from kelly green to forest green. The same thing happens with WP tubes.