Seeking extended optical ranges, Denmark’s armed forces will be using JIM Compact infrared (IR) binoculars from Safran Electronics & Defense. The long-range thermal imagers were selected for the country’s Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.
The IR binoculars, developed through the guidance of size, weight, and power (SWaP) initiatives, weigh less than 2 kg with battery. They are ideal for day and night operations and are equipped for multiple functions, including wireless communications. The basic portable IR binocular unit combines a high-resolution cooled IR channel, a television channel, a laser pointer, a laser range finder, a low-level light channel, a digital magnetic compass, and a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver in one compact unit.
IR binoculars provide ground troops with enhanced night vision as well as wireless communications and laser range detection. (Courtesy of Safran Electronics & Defense)
The handheld optronics system is designed for a wide range of applications in all weather conditions, including target acquisition, fire correction, and joint tactical air controller missions. The IR binoculars are already in use by nine different NATO forces. Per this NATO contract, several dozen of the binoculars will be delivered to the Danish military by the end of 2019.
