Redlands, California, August 29th, 2022 Over the years, TNVC has been fully committed to making the very best and very latest, MIL-SPEC, duty-ready night vision, thermal, and visual augmentation systems technology available to ALL customers, not just the privileged few. Continuing this trend, TNVC is extremely proud to announce the release of a brand-new product line: TNVC SuperGain Systems.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SUPERGAIN: tnvc.com/supergain

SHOP SUPERGAIN NOW: tnvc.com/shop/category/supergain

The TNVC SuperGain family is based on the latest image intensifier tube technology from L3Harris, and is one of the most significant evolutions in Generation 3 night vision systems and performance since the introduction of Unfilmed technology and are available ONLY at TNVC as a new Premium Option for all TNVC customers.

Already in use with the United States military, including Special Operations Forces, these new SuperGain Unfilmed White Phosphor image intensifier tubes increase the Luminance Gain (Gain) specification for image intensifier tubes from the standard 40,000-80,000 fL/fc to between 100,000-120,000 fL/fc, greatly increasing the image intensifier's ability to amplify and collect light, providing increased low light performance and extending operational envelope when compared to night vision systems utilizing conventional Unfilmed White Phosphor image intensifiers.

These new MIL-SPEC SuperGain image intensifiers will be available in all TNV-branded night vision systems, including the TNV/BNVG-M Artemis, TNV/DTNVS, TNV/RNVG, and TNV/PVS-14 as well as L3Harris-manufactured BNVD (PVS-31) and BNVD-1531 systems, all with an increased 2376+ Minimum Figure of Merit (FOM) specification. These new units will exist alongside current TNVC offerings, including those with standard Unfilmed and Filmed image intensifier tubes.

***SuperGain tubes are currently IN-STOCK for all TNV-systems. L3Harris systems are available for Pre-Order***



SuperGain image intensifier tubes have undergone extensive testing and been validated by the U.S. Army's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) at Fort Belvoir as well as USSOCOM and Special Operations Forces organizations. SuperGain image intensifier tubes are currently being fielded and in-service around the world in the newest, most technologically advanced night vision systems in the force, including the AN/PSQ-42 ENVG-B Advanced Goggle as well as F-PANO Fusion Panoramic Goggle.



From the end-user's perspective, the SuperGain tubes will be noticeably brighter than standard Unfilmed White Phosphor tubes under most conditions and will provide more useable information in extreme darkness. However, one the most significant difference that users in the field will see is the ability to see deeper into dark corners and underbrush, allowing them to detect potential threats beyond the range of typical image intensifiers. This can be a significant advantage in both urban areas / inside of structures as well as in more rural areas with vegetation and heavy canopy and subterranean operations.

While many consumers, both government and commercial have been focused on FOM (Signal to Noise Ratio multiplied by Center Resolution expressed in lp/mm) as a metric for image intensifier performance and image quality, with manufacturers pushing the envelope of performance through improved methods and processes.

Luminance Gain is typically set by the manufacturer, and is the measure of how well an image intensifier can amplify light, and is one of the most critically important factors of image intensifier performance–in fact, the term “Failure,” in MTTF (“Mean Time To Failure”), commonly used to describe tube longevity and durability and expressed in terms of hours, is broadly understood to represent a roughly 50% loss of Luminance Gain.



Nevertheless, Gain has typically been set by the manufacturers at a lower setting (in accordance with MIL-SPECs) due to concerns that too much Gain could lead to increased and undesirable noise in the image, which can be true with lower performance tubes. However, with modern advances in tube manufacturing processes and consistency, L3Harris has been able to increase average tube performance by over 50% in the last six years, with modern tubes having less noise overall, allowing L3Harris to increase the tube Gain, and therefore increasing the amount of useful information provided to the user without the same levels of increased noise.

In order to maximize the benefits of the increased Gain and ensure image quality these new SuperGain systems from TNVC will ONLY be available with a minimum Figure of Merit (FOM) specification of 2376+, the highest minimum performance specification currently available to the wide market, and with actual average tube performance exceeding that of current USSOCOM specifications.

Not only do SuperGain tubes provide improved light amplification and more information to the user, but effects can be felt on the user's end as well the overall brighter image allows the pupil to remain smaller, even in low light conditions where image intensifier tubes begin to dim, effectively improving the user's vision and allowing them to take full advantage of the information provided by the SuperGain tube as well as reduce eye fatigue from long term use. Meanwhile, neither image intensifier life, nor reliability are affected, with SuperGain tubes being every bit as durable and reliable as typical Unfilmed White Phosphor image intensifier tubes.



It's amazing to consider how much analog image intensifier performance keeps progressing. In a world where digital technology is rapidly overtaking analog systems, analog image intensifiers are still the very best technology available for night vision and visual augmentation systems. It's shocking both how much and how little Generation 3 image intensifiers have changed since their introduction in the late-1980s. On the one hand, the same basic technological architecture of the Gen. 3 tube and photocathode remains on the other, the level of performance offered by these tubes versus what was available thirty plus years ago is amazing. Tube performance from U.S. manufacturers has shot up across the board. With the release of the SuperGain tubes, TNVC is able to offer the most advanced, most high performance, MIL-SPEC night vision systems currently available to our customers BOTH government and commercial.

TNVC MIL-SPEC SuperGain Systems will be available in all TNV-branded night vision systems, including the TNV/BNVG-M Artemis, TNV/DTNVS, TNV/RNVG, and TNV/PVS-14 as well as L3Harris-manufactured BNVD (PVS-31) and BNVD-1531 systems, all with an increased 2376+ Minimum Figure of Merit (FOM) specification.

Tubes are IN-STOCK NOW for TNV-built Systems and L3Harris BNVD-SG and BNVD-1531SG are available for Pre-Order



LEARN MORE ABOUT SUPERGAIN

SHOP SUPERGAIN NOW

Experience the latest evolution of Image Intensified Night Vision devices from L3Harris, being used in the toughest conditions for the most critical missions by U.S. DoD and Tier 1 Special Operations worldwide.

Now available, only at TNVC.

Try it now.



~Augee

That's some slightly mixed up terminology, but effectively yes, the maximum potential gain is nearly twice that of a standard Unfilmed tube.

Dialing it down a little but more, "auto-gain" really more or less refers to the automatic brightness control that all modern Gen. 3 tubes have, whether or not they also have a manual gain control circuit.

The SuperGain tubes will still behave "normally," they will brighten and dim depending on the amount of light input to the tube, but they will be "able" to get much brighter if the situation calls for it.

~Augee

They are similar, but they’re not the same.

The PVS-31K does use SuperGain tubes, however it is a FOM limited export system for an international military customer.

The PVS-31 / BNVD SuperGain systems that we have available for Pre-Order are a new Part Number that was generated on TNVC’s request, and does not have any specific marketing nomenclature or technical designation from L3Harris other than the basic P/N and contract description.

~Augee