Test pilot school cats eye night vision goggle (NVG) instructional test curriculum for tactical jet aircraft

Night systems (NS) are playing an ever increasing role in the warfighting capabilities of armed forces world wide through technological advancements in Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR) and image intensification (I²), specifically night vision goggle, devices. As NS technology for use in aircraft has evolved, so has the desire to augment existing and future designs with the ability to prosecute enemy targets from passively detected emissions within the electromagnetic spectrum that cannot be detected by the naked eye at night.

Cockpit and system display designers must now meet specification requirements for NVG compatible cockpit and external lighting, windscreens, and displays. As such, evaluation specifications and requirements of the NS themselves and the aircraft and cockpits in which they are used must be assessed to ensure fleet aircrew have the best and safest systems current technology can make available.

This thesis briefly illustrates NVG theory and history, outlines specification and test criteria, and presents a complete test pilot school curriculum to expose prospective Test Pilots, Weapons System Operators, and Engineers to NS test techniques with an emphasis on NVGs and NVG/cockpit lighting compatibility. Extensive academic briefs and test pilot school standard operating procedures will be developed to ensure the night systems evaluation exercise is conducted in the safest possible manner.

The integration of NS into the total aircraft weapon system will be addressed. A methodology for addressing specific questions will be developed which included such factors as target and aircraft characteristics, terrain features, and the contrast between prospective targets and their backgrounds. The methodology stresses the human factors aspects of the man-machine interface, especially display size, image quality, and NVG compatibility.

Finally, an evaluation/demonstration flight will be developed which exposes the prospective evaluator to NVG phenomena, hazards, and operational requirements. The flight will focus on our ability to use current technology to actively (Radar) and passively (NVG and FLIR) prosecute ground and airborne targets at night while simultaneously exposing the prospective evaluator to the NS assessment techniques many may use during their flight test careers.