Taliban Sighted with Night Vision and Thermal Equipment
The night vision devices allow the Taliban to “effectively harass isolated Afghan National Defence and Security Forces checkpoints” and “has proven to be a successful tactic in both gaining and holding territory, as well as being a catalyst for demoralizing the Afghan Forces at such checkpoints,” the report detailed.
Dated but dangerous. The 1PN51 reticle at night.
To be fair, this isn’t anything new. The Taliban were known to be using Russian and Chinese made NVGs, most notably in their attack on PNS Mehran in Karachi while I was just over the border in Afghanistan. The reports showed what looked like current generation monoculars in some of the photos of the aftermath. Weapon mounted units were also in theater, including the aging 1PN51 weapon mounted Gen 1 scope that mounts on the siderail of the AK. Having used one in the past, the image tube is dated compared to the PVS-14 but it gets the job done.
So while the threat level is nothing new, its definitely a data point. The Taliban by hook and crook (and if you’ve lived in Afghanistan any amount of time, you know its more crook than hook) are closing the gap with the national security forces and exploiting the advantage operating at night offers.
You might want to consider doing the same while you’ve got the chance. And keep in mind- like any piece of equipment, STANO is an enabler, not a crutch. Without the prerequisite skills, it won’t do you much good.
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GUNS N GEAR
5
What weapon mounted and helmet mounted night vision would you recommend?
Helmet mounted: PVS-14, Weapon Mounted: FLIR Thermosight Pro.
While something to think about the cost for many is the problem,I have given it some thought and like many (to our detriment perhaps)feel the tech getting better and also may be more affordable as time moves forward.I as have many watched tech improve and prices drop,for me mostly with bows,and feel at least at moment without some great new mouse trap bows at moment have hit their peak.
What are the thoughts of folks who use this stuff regularly,is 3 a price buy if one has basics covered,and,if yes,how far does one spend,is say gen 3+ the way to go or can one do OK with a bit less.
This ? is from someone who has only had any experience night vision with gen 1 monocular hand held in a look at nature experience.
Tech is an enabler, not a skill.
Used in certain parameters, you can get away with running older equipment. All depends on the tactics behind its employment. If you don’t have the skills to back up the equipment, you’ll make a nice find for the guy who does.
We no longer “own the night”, have drone superiority, only ones with body armor and a whole lot of other things.
Adapt or die
Insofar as us here. The same applies in get it, train with it and know how to defeat it.
The enemy is doing it.
If your waiting for the gen 12+ model to put on your xyz brand name gizmo so the boys at the club won’t make fun of you then your doing a disservice to yourself and those you should be protecting.
The guy with the $300 PSA and gen 2 nod along with a $120 lasermax who has trained can take it all, including you, tonight.
Bingo. The saying ‘we own the night’ was a nice recruiting slogan, and that’s about it.
I hunt feral hogs at night in Texas with a thermal.
It’s a game-changer. Any self-professed Partisan who has no thermal is not serious.
I HATE saying this because the devices are stupid !@#$%^&* expensive, but it’s true.
80 Hogs Down with the FLIR ThermoSight Pro PTS233
(Very good YT video for various NOD comparisons)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EyZCdlKbnE
And just like that they appear.
Affordable capabilities are better than no capabilities.
This ain’t high school and you don’t have to drive a ….., carry a ……..pistol or have gen … NOD or thermal in order to be effective. The titles can be kept if that’s the belief and direction it’s going because the majority want no part of being and “keeping up with the Joneses”.
Not being tier 1 didn’t mean we didn’t and don’t get the job done every single day.
The very article and picture itself tells the danger.
It ain’t gonna be a top level wearing quads that gets you it’s gonna be some dipstick with 3 brain cells a Taurus with gen1 chinamart and a wallieworld drone you never saw.
Get the best you can and train.
In response to Matt regarding drones,have recently looked into it and have a freind whose son is pretty good with them,does a lot of in flight movies and such and am going to meet with him soon and get some basics down on how to fly em/what is a good unit ect.
As I said,have no training with night vision and know no one close by who has a decent amount of experiance with it,guess will just research and go for it and start using it.
I did take Matt Brackens article about natural night vision,wandering my domain at a full moon and nightly after as moon waned,did get a much better feel for naked eye night vision and feel if I keep it up even if only a few moments each night will improve(enjoy a evening walk anyhow).
Matt,
I don’t think people(myself included) are waiting for Gen 12+ to show the boys at the club. Most of us have to prioritize what preps, gear and training we get based on available time and means. We can all argue about what our individual prep priorities are/should be and what order we allocate training time and budget $s.
When it comes to NV and thermal, I believe this isn’t most people’s first priority given the $ investment. Many preps/skills like food, first aid training, firearms proficiency etc are more foundational and usually acquired first. Even early gen equipment is costly when people are making trade offs on what to purchase.
I don’t disagree that NV skill proficiency with early gen equipment is better than none, one has to realize not everyone has the luxury to afford both. I asked NC Scout the question because my preps are at a point where these skills/gear are next. Asking what gear he recommends wasn’t to show the boys at the club, but to focus on this next stage of preparation. Your perspective on my question, if indeed you were responded to it, seemed very narrow and biased towards the assumption that it was about buying the latest gen equipment at the expense of training with it.
Like I said, I agree that wholeheartedly with the philosophy that adequate equipment with proficiency/frequent training beats top of line equipment with little/no proficiency every day.