Dual-Sensor Use in the AH-64 Crew Station for Urban Combat in Operation Iraqi Freedom

The U.S. Army currently fields two variants of night vision devices (NVDs), the Aviator Night Vision Imaging System (ANVIS) and the Pilot Night Vision System/Target Acquisition and Designation System (PNVS/TADS). The ANVIS is a portable image intensification (I2) system usable by all Army airframes, whereas PNVS /TADS are both forward-looking infrared (FLIR) subcomponents attached to the nose of the AH-64 attack helicopter. This study evaluated effectiveness of dual-technology sensors in the AH-64D during urban missions in and around Baghdad, Iraq, from December 2005 thru November 2006. A questionnaire addressing the comparative use of these two sensors for reconnaissance and situational awareness was distributed and completed by 38 Apache AH-64D aviators. Results showed that the I2 ANVIS was preferable to the FLIR for reconnaissance missions. Additionally, results showed a predominant favoring of the ANVIS over the PNVS/TADS for wire and aircraft avoidance. The primary benefit of the PNVS/TADS system, as reported by aviators, was the flight symbology cues provided through the helmet-mounted display (HMD).