Installing a Night Vision Imaging System in the CF-188 Hornet: Compatibility of Warning and Caution Lights

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the NVIS compatibility of fire warning lights as installed during a NVIS upgrade of the CF-188 Hornet for operation with Generation 3 AN/AVS-9 night vision goggles. Data was gathered and compared to the specifications listed in MIL-STD-3009 to determine suitability of the implemented design. Of particular concern during the execution of this project was the compatibility of fire warning lights for operation in both day-time and night-time conditions with respect to NVIS radiance. The initial design placed the NVIS radiance of cockpit warning lights at a level commensurate with that suggested by MIL-STD-3009. During the evaluation, significant concern arose regarding the radiance of the proposed warning light configuration. The problems were significant enough that the final design version incorporated fire warning lights with a NVIS radiance value approximately seventy times greater than the value suggested by MIL-STD-3009. It was found that the conflicting demands of day versus night operating conditions rendered the initial fire warning light design ineffective. Through the investigation conducted during the evaluation, this study concludes that, for single seat, canopy covered cockpit, fighter type aircraft employing Generation 3, class B, Type I NVIS devices, using a higher NVIS radiance value than that set out in MIL-STD-3009 for warning lights will not adversely affect completion of the mission. Moreover, it is further concluded that using this approach is a satisfactory means by which to address many of the conflicting design requirements for NVIS compatible cockpits in order to ensure safety of flight and mission effectiveness. This study also recommends, with due consideration given to the level of detail at which the evaluation it is based on was conducted, an approximate optimum value for the NVIS radiance of cockpit warning lights that ensures effective function of the light with minimum impact on employment of the NVIS device.

As a result of this work and the associated findings concerning the NVIS radiance levels of the cockpit warning lights, a satisfactory design was implemented that met safety of flight requirements permitting the system to proceed on to operational testing to determine mission suitability.