The use of simulation in the development of night vision goggle shipboard compatible lighting packages

Military helicopters have been operating aboard ships since 1943. Since then, shipborne helicopters have grown from a novelty to a necessity. Just as helicopter technology has grown, so to have the devices used to assist aircrews in the accomplishment of the helicopter mission. Since the Vietnam War, helicopter crews have flown with night vision goggles to provide them with the ability to navigate during night missions. The development of a night vision device compatible flight deck lighting began in 1989 with the first evaluation aboard USS TARAWA. By 1993, it became evident that decreasing ship availability and rising flight and ship costs in the environment of a downsizing navy, resulted in shipboard testing becoming a luxury. The result was to develop simulator capability to model prototype lighting packages with sufficient fidelity to conduct ground evaluations. This capability would not only result in increasing shipboard test efficiency, but also provide an excellent training tool.

This thesis discusses the technology of night vision goggles as it applies to simulation, the basics of simulator modeling and finally, presents the development of the model created for the night vision goggle compatible shipboard lighting package. Specific findings include the need for modelling of windshield transmissivity, starlight illumination, and an exact coloring matrix.

This thesis and all reference material listed are unclassified. In addition, information from limited distribution government reports was not carried over into the content of this thesis.