MX-10160
MX-10160 is a specification for image intensifier tubes for the United States military.
The designation is often used to refer to the physical format of the tube described inside of the specification, as all iterations of the specification reuse the same format to facilitate backwards compatibility.
This format, together with the sibling MX-11769 format, are the most common formats both in military and civilian applications as of today.
Format[edit | edit source]
Other names commonly used to refer to the format are:
- Small Anvis (because it was developed for AN/AVS-6 binoculars)
- 18 mm (because of the diameter of the core)
- 37 mm (because of the diameter of the tube)
Tubes of this format utilize a fiber twist to invert the intensified image, making the lens system of compatible oculars much simpler.
The format does not support manual gain. The later introduced sibling MX-11769 format as well as the gain contact subformat later added that missing feature.
Gain Contact Subformat[edit | edit source]
Especially outside of the U.S., an inofficial modification of the MX-10160 format is common that introduces a third contact inbetween the positive and negative contact for gain control.
A compatible housing connects the negative (ground) contact and the new gain contact through a potentiometer with a peak resistance of ~50 kΩ. The gain is inverse to the selected resistance of the potentiometer.
Tubes of this type can be made backwards compatible with housings designed for the original MX-10160 format by adding a thin wire between the aformentioned contacts on the tube, running the tube at maximum gain.
The image intensifier manufacturers Photonis and Katod use this format for some of their manual gain image intensifiers.
Devices[edit | edit source]
The table below lists all devices using MX-10160 image intensifier tubes for which a page exists on this wiki.
Housing Type | Manufacturer | Mount | |
---|---|---|---|
ACT DTNVG | Binocular | ACTinBlack | Wilcox Dovetail |
ACT DTNVS | Binocular | ACTinBlack | Wilcox Dovetail |
AN/AVS-9 | Binocular | Elbit Systems Of America | Ball Detent |
Argus Panoramic Night Vision Goggles | Panoramic | Argus | Wilcox Dovetail |
Fenn NG700D | Binocular | Fenn Night Vision Limited | Proprietary |
GPNVG-18 | Panoramic | L3Harris | Wilcox Dovetail or Ball Detent |
LLI Aeternus | Binocular | Low Light Innovations | Wilcox Dovetail |
MUM-14 | Monocular | Nivisys Industries LLV | Mini Rail |
RPNVG | Panoramic Binocular | AB NightVision Inc | Wilcox Dovetail |
Ruggedized Night Vision Goggle (RNVG) | Binocular | AB NightVision Inc | Wilcox Dovetail |
Troya Ninox Pro | Binocular | Troya Tech Defense Ltd | Wilcox Dovetail |
Iterations[edit | edit source]
MX-10160/AVS-6[edit | edit source]
The original MX-10160/AVS-6 specification was introduced in 1989 in the MIL-I-49428 specification. [1]
It consists of many requirements that designated image intensifier tubes had to meet as well as how those requirements should be tested.
The specification was cancelled in 1997 in favor of later iterations.
Key Specifications[edit | edit source]
Below is an incomplete list of key specifications that the image intensifiers have to meet.
Performance Parameter | Unit of measurement | Value |
---|---|---|
Resolution | lp / mm | >36 |
High Light Resolution | lp / mm @ 20fc | >5 |
Photocathode Sensitivity | uA/lm @ 2856K | >1000 |
mA/W @ 830nm | >100 | |
mA/W @ 880nm | >60 | |
Signal to Noise Ratio | >16.2 | |
EBI | 1 x 10-11 lm/cm2 | <2.5 |
Gain | fL/fc @ 2x10-6 fc | 20K-35K |
fL/fc @ 2x10-4 fc | 3.5K-10.5K | |
Halo | mm | <1.47 |
Output Brightness Uniformity | @ 2856K | 4:1-3:1 |
MTF | % @ 2.5 lp/mm | >83 |
% @ 7.5 lp/mm | >58 | |
% @ 15.0 lp/mm | >28 | |
% @ 25.0 lp/mm | >8 | |
Photocathode Diameter | mm | >17.5 |
Phosphor | P20 |
Some further specifications include:
- 18mm microchannel wafer
- minimum useful photocathode and phosphor screen diameter of 17.5 mm
- maximum weight of 85 grams
- image inversion
- resistance to shocks of at least 75 G's
- mean time to failure of minimum 7500 hours (minimum 1500 hours under accelerated conditions[Notes 1])
- under vibration and varying illumination levels
- pass criteria:
- Gain: 10k-35k fL/fc @ 2x10-6 fc
- SNR: >= 13.60
- stability and uniformity of output brightness
- ion barrier film quality
- photocathode sensitivity
- burn-in / environmental stress screening
- vibration
- resonance search / resonance dwell / cycling
- temperature ranges / temperature cycling
- compatibility with the ANVIS monocular assembly
- reverse polarity protection
- resistance to bright lights
- allowable dark & bright spots
- veil glare
- image alignment
- electromagnetic interference
- assembly quality
- chicken wire
MX-10160A/AVS-6[edit | edit source]
The MX-10160A/AVS-6 (NSN 5855-01-423-1497) specification was introduced in 1995.
Northrop Grumman Electro-Optical Systems originally supplied these tubes, with their production moving into Litton and ITT, and later L3 Warrior Systems.
MX-10160B/AVS-6[edit | edit source]
Not much is known about the MX-10160B/AVS-6 specification, except that it was introduced around the year 2000.
Both Litton and ITT supplied image intensifiers for it. MX-10160B image intensifiers produced by Litton were the first filmless contract image intensifiers, while ITT produced thin-filmed image intensifiers.
Performance parameters | Units of measurement | Values |
---|---|---|
Resolution | lp/mm | 57 - 72 |
Highlight Resolution | @20fc, lp/mm | 32 - 36 |
Photocathode Sensitivity | 28560 K, uA/lm | 1,500 - 2,100 |
@ 830 nm, mA/W | 77 - 200 | |
@ 880 nm, mA/W | 30 - 100 | |
Signal to Noise Ratio | 20.6 - 36.0 | |
EBI | 1 x 10-11 lm/cm2 | 0.5 - 2.5 |
Luminous Gain | fl/fc @2 x 10-6 fc | 30K - 80K |
Output Brightness | @1 and 20 fc | 2.0 - 4.0 |
Halo | mm | 0.4 - 1.25 |
Output Brightness Uniformity | @2856 K | 3:1 - 2:1 |
MTF | % @15.0 lp/mm | 61%+ |
% @25.0 lp/mm | 38%+ | |
Photocathode Diameter | mm | 17.0 - 17.5 |
Phosphor | P22, P43 |
MX-10160C/AVS6[edit | edit source]
The MX-10160C/AVS-6 specification was introduced on 17. October 2003 in the MIL-PRF-A3279602B specification.[3]
On 22. April 2010 the first MX-10160C/AVS-6 tubes with a halo of less than 0.85mm were accepted.[4] On 1. September 2010 the halo specification was revised from 0.70mm to 0.85mm.[5] There are rumors, that ITT had measured the halo values as too small for some time.
- MIL-PRF-A3279602B (17 October 2003)
- Low distortion fiber optic output, +-1 deg image inversion
- Minimum specs:
- Image alignment offset max 0.006 inch
- Halo: early models max halo 0.70mm, later models with revised spec max 0.85mm
- Electromagnetic interference (EMI): The assembly, when properly incorporated within a certified AN/AVS-6 system shall comply with the EMI requirements as specified in MIL-PRF-A3279454(CR) or MIL-PRF-49425.
- Reliability: the assembly shall have a minimum mean time to failure of not less than 12,500 hours (2,500 hours accelerated)
Performance parameters | Units of measurement | Values |
---|---|---|
Resolution | lp/mm | 64+ |
Highlight Resolution | @20fc, lp/mm | 45+ |
Photocathode Sensitivity | 28560 K, uA/lm | 2200+ |
@ 830 nm, mA/W | 240+ | |
@ 880 nm, mA/W | 120+ | |
Signal to Noise Ratio | 28+ | |
EBI | 1 x 10-11 lm/cm2 | 2.5- |
Luminous Gain | fl/fc @2 x 10-6 fc | 50K - 80K |
Output Brightness | @1 and 20 fc | |
Halo | mm | early: 0.70
later: 0.85 |
Phosphor | P43 |
Size in inches, at zone | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
0.009 or larger | 0 | 0 | 0 |
0.006 to 0.009 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
0.003 to 0.006 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Requirement | Acceptance level |
---|---|
Luminance gain at 2x10^-6 fc | 35k to 95k fL/fc |
EBI | 2.5 |
SNR | 23 minimum |
Center resolution | 64lp/mm minimum |
Bright-light level center res. | 36lp/mm minimum |
Useful cathode diameter | 17.5mm minimum |
Output brightness uniformity | Within normal spec |
Screen quality | Within normal spec |
Other[edit | edit source]
Below is a list of other known MX-10160 contract iterations for which currently no information is available
- MX-10160GS
- MX-10160WG
- MX-10160FG
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Accelerated conditions differ only in shorter on-off cycles and more frequent temporary increases in input illumination.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ http://everyspec.com/MIL-SPECS/MIL-SPECS-MIL-I/MIL-I-49428_53852/
- ↑ http://aunv.blackice.com.au/userfiles/david-mx10160B.pdf
- ↑ https://govtribe.com/file/government-file/fa853309r22222-mil-prf-a3279602b-dot-pdf
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230110205422/https://govtribe.com/award/federal-contract-award/delivery-order-w15p7t04aj208-0034
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230110213327/https://govtribe.com/award/federal-idv-award/indefinite-delivery-contract-w15p7t04aj208