Who Owns The Night?

We own the night…a phrase we came to know well. Repeated into memory and universally believed into fact. Until the day we learned our enemies had night vision as well. Not only that, but that they were far more competent in its use than our assumption of sandal-clad cave dwellers clutching a Kalashnikov would suggest. And then a fear set in, that usually happens when one’s reality is fundamentally challenged, that you no longer have an insurmountable advantage on the ground, that you do not have a monopoly on violence, that- gasp- that sandal-clad cave dweller clutching a Kalashnikov is not quite the hapless prey once assumed.
Not hardly. A picture speaks a thousand words and in this case, tells us volumes about this guy’s capability. A PVS-7D and what looks like a thermal scope mounted on an M16. A simple setup that’s available to anyone here in the US, absolutely terrifying to any occupation force.
As both a student and instructor of guerrilla warfare in its various topics, one of the fundamental truths is that the ability to effectively operate at night is among the top priorities for an armed group’s success. Chronicling the insurgency in El Salvador through the lens of Radio Venceremos, its author and narrator, Santiago, frequently referred to the moon as the ‘guerrilla’s sunshine’ and noted that their ability to execute a breakout even when under the intense fire of a major sweep was only possible through the guerrilla’s successful training in night operations. Fast forwarding to the present, my own experience would see the bulk of raids in Iraq and Afghanistan conducted exclusively at night. Our clandestine insertions would happen at night alone. And when we weren’t striking at night, action would happen just in the breaking moments of dawn.
That’s when the French and Indians attack, after all.
Its interesting what just a bit of technology in determined hands can do to level the playing field. And even more interesting is when that technology is used in innovative ways, leading to new tactics. We use IR lasers to aim weapons when wearing NODs- but the paradox of that practice is that a laser aims two ways and among a similarly equipped foe, that practice will get you killed. Sorta like how conventional wisdom suggests every weapon have a white light, when patrolling with white lights risks accidental discharges which absolutely will get an entire patrol killed. Ask my last Scout Course. You ain’t fighting the GWOT and you don’t have an army behind you.
This is not to say a prospective guerrilla should have neither a tac light nor an IR laser- quite the opposite. But he must understand its implementation and use. Your weapon system is modular and your equipment is mission focused. When to use it, when not to use it. I prefer versatility in my equipment above all, which is why I’ll always come back to my trusty PVS-14 even with all of the newer dual tube units out there- I can wear it on my head and I can mount it on a weapon when static, such as from a hide site in front of my ACOG, similar to how the PVS-22 and 30 is mounted on sniper weapon systems. It negates the need for a laser when killing an opposing force that also has NODs.
Further, there is no technological solution which can overcome a lack of training. Tactics can overcome a lack of equipment but there is never a substitute for effective, competent training. The fundamentals of movement at night should be have even more time devoted to them in training than movement during the day. Our senses of sound and smell are sharper at night due to a lack of the ability to see, which is why some doctrine will allude to sound carrying further at night. It doesn’t, you’re just more in tune to it.
With that said, the decisive advantage NODs offer- both traditional night vision and Thermal– cannot be denied. And while expensive, quality night vision units are among the top items a prospective guerrilla fighter should be seeking. Weapons get a lot of attention, but the enablers to implement them are in the end what wins the fight. Its the 21st Century and the real fight is over who owns the night.
 
 

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By Published On: April 2, 2021Categories: NC Scout, Tactical20 Comments on Who Owns The Night?

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About the Author: NC Scout

NC Scout is the nom de guerre of a former Infantry Scout and Sergeant in one of the Army’s best Reconnaissance Units. He has combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a series of courses focusing on small unit skills rarely if ever taught anywhere else in the prepping and survival field, including his RTO Course which focuses on small unit communications. In his free time he is an avid hunter, bushcrafter, writer, long range shooter, prepper, amateur radio operator and Libertarian activist. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog at brushbeater.wordpress.com .

20 Comments

  1. Anonymous April 2, 2021 at 05:42

    5

  2. SOG April 2, 2021 at 07:22

    https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=107+hogs+thermal
    some good videos on thermal scopes, hunting hogs you see how fast and accurate you can be at night with proper equipment.

  3. Paul April 2, 2021 at 10:16

    Don’t forget to also work with “nothing” too… Circuit boards fail, batteries die, wires break & anything powered can and will die on you. Be able to function in the dark without any electronic assistance too for the times you won’t have it or if it doesn’t work.
    Less effective? Oh hell yes, but it pays to know how to work with what you have (iron sights at night only) and not to become dependent on tech.

    • wwes April 2, 2021 at 10:36

      The thing about iron sights goes for daytime too, it’s sad how many people can’t use irons.

      • KOBK April 2, 2021 at 11:24

        amazes me how many have backup irons on their rifles and they’re not zeroed !!

        • wwes April 2, 2021 at 11:57

          Agreed 100% I normally have my irons zeroed before my optic, if I have both.

    • Historian April 2, 2021 at 12:39

      Paul:
      An excellent point to complement NC Scout’s point about using passive rather than active systems. I recommend that any distance weapon intended for self defence have tritium iron sights. If self-illuminating sights are unavailable, luminescent paint is a decent alternate. Painting the front post is easy; rear sights can be trickier.
      It’s not as if this idea is new- military self-illuminating sights date back at least to WW1, IIRC.

      • Johnny Paratrooper April 2, 2021 at 12:41

        Hell, I have had trouble finding my iron sights in the middle of the day. The black sights looking into the dark woodline full of dark vertical lines and you sights disappear. Painting them anything but black helps a lot.

        • KOBK April 2, 2021 at 15:49

          JP,
          That could make a good little article actually. What guys have painted their sights with that have been effective.
          I’ve tried many things and have not been satisfied with anything yet. A coat of say Testors orange to white model paint seems to be too thick and changes width of sight not to my liking as an example.

          • Johnny Paratrooper April 2, 2021 at 17:06

            Glow in the Dark acrylic nail polish. I suggest two coats. The thicker it is the longer it glows. A Trijicon night sight is only like $50.

      • SOG April 2, 2021 at 14:28

        agreed on some however tritium night sights do not illuminate a distant target, your nods and or thermal are a force multiplier, you have thermal vision like a snake and or nods give you night vision like an owl. you will see more than you can at night with illuminated iron sights.
        your mileage may vary. I have been down range and with modern thermal you can see a birds heat in a tree hundreds of yards out, just can’t do that without tech.
        yes you should absolutely know how to run and gun slick but for the availability and prices of modern NOD and Thermal units its a def must for the modern minuteman.

        • BePrepared April 2, 2021 at 17:27

          Tritium sights do let you aim in better on the OPFOR flash you see at night, this is why we all have them on our handguns…. right? While I can now afford NOD and thermal, there was a LONG time in my life I could not justify it or body armor. Car payment or plates? The monthly mortgage or a PVS-14? We all might see the need and want it, some can’t justify it at the moment.
          We might need to look at second tier illumination. The tactical use (and escape from launch area of) flares. Shame we can’t buy those 40mm parachute flares of old. Or are there better second tier alternatives?

          • Mike April 3, 2021 at 03:17

            It also makes your handgun easier to find in the dark lol.

          • Historian April 3, 2021 at 05:04

            White “collision avoidance” marine flares, both handheld and parachute, are still available last I checked. Red ones are cheaper for some reason but don’t illuminate the area as white ones do. A simple corner reflector made with cardboard boxes, aluminum foil and spray adhesive with the handheld flares creates a good improv searchlight that will ruin human night vision for a long time and make NODs inop. Set up with a remote pull string you can light up an ambush site. Carrying smoke grenades could be useful too; if OpFor uses smoke to ID their position for air support, having the same smoke available can help avoid a rocket ripple. None of these options are a primary choice, but as has been noted by many before, “You fight with what you HAVE, not what you WANT to have.” P A C E. Reliance on any one approach is asking for a lesson from Murphy.
            With regard to all who seek the Light,
            Historian

          • Mike April 3, 2021 at 08:35

            Historian is absolutely right. If you launch parachute flares during a raid or ambush it will wash out NODs and level the field a bit more. I’ve been trained to mitigate enemy flares, but never considered using them myself. I need to look into these, thanks a lot!

          • wwes April 3, 2021 at 09:13

            The Czech 26.5 mm parachute flares are still pretty easy to find, along with the flare pistols. I’m not sure about the 37mm or 40mm ones, I’ve never really looked at them.

    • Mike April 3, 2021 at 03:15

      This is why I have tritium night sights on my rifles as well.

  4. Anonymous April 2, 2021 at 11:59

    4.5

  5. HMFIC April 3, 2021 at 07:12

    I would say the vast majority of time maneuver units can use the night, but no one owns it. The Army’s experience in eastern Afghanistan demonstrates this. In the two biggest disasters of the occupation of remote eastern Afghanistan the OPFOR easily massed forces and maneuvered at night on American bases, COP Keating https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kamdesh and the Battle of Wanat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Wanat. Any occupation will be fraught with the same concern remote security outposts, police stations, etc that are fat targets to the forces willing to maneuver at night.

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