1966 US Army Vietnam War ARMOR ... - Survival Books

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMFigure 86. Intersecting searchlight beams markinga target (visible or infrared mode).d. Control of Searchlights. The unit com- as soon as direct observation into themander may retain central control of thelight source is ended.searchlights to be used in an operation or he (2) An observer located in the light beammay utilize normal command channel, depend-will find it difficult to estimate theing on which method best contributes to the ac-range to the searchlight.complishment of the mission.(3) Objects silhouetted between an obe.Effects on Enemy Observers. In using the server and the light beam are visiblesearchlight for direct illumination, the follow- for several hundred meters.ing effects on enemy observers should be considered:8. Tank-Mounted Searchlights in the Offense(1) Direct observation into the visible a. Direct illumination. In using tank-mountlightsource with the naked eye will ed searchlights for direct illumination, the folcausea loss of night vision varying lowing basic considerations are applicable:from loss of night adaptation to night (1) Vehicles or troops advancing towardblindness depending on the nearnessan enemy position should remainof the light source. If the eyes arealong the outside edge of the searchprotectedby an IR or passive visionlight beam so as to use the stray lightdevice, only loss of night adaptationalong the edge of the beam withoutwill occur and the device itself will bebeing in the beam itself.only temporarily inoperative. Since (2) Assuming that the enemy position isthe night viewing devices do not re-known, a moving tank unit may requirethe use of night adapted eyesduce the probability of detection byfor operation, they are effective againthe following use of searchlights:355