Military tacticians throughout history have seen the advantages of being able to maneuver effectively under the cover of darkness. Historically, maneuvering large armies at night carried such risks that it was rarely attempted.
During WW II, the United States, Britain, and Germany worked to develop rudimentary night vision technology. For example, a useful infrared sniper scope that used near-infrared cathodes coupled to visible phosphors to provide a near-infrared image converter was fielded. A small number, perhaps 300 Sniperscopes, were shipped to the Pacific sometime in 1945, but received very little use. Their range was less than 100 yards, and they were used mainly for perimeter defense. However this device had several disadvantages. The infrared sniper scope required an active IR searchlight that was so large it had to be mounted on a flatbed truck. This active IR searchlight could be detected by any enemy soldier equipped with similar equipment. The rifle-mounted scope also required cumbersome batteries and provided limited range.
However, the infrared sniper scope showed that night vision technology was on the horizon. Military leaders immediately saw many uses for this technology beyond sniping at the enemy under cover of darkness. An army equipped with night vision goggles, helmets, and weapons sights would be able to operate 24 hours a day. The Army Corps of Engineers, for example, would be able to build bridges and repair roads at night providing a measure of safety from airborne attack. The next challenge in night vision technology would be the development of passive systems that did not require IR searchlights that might give away a soldier's position to the enemy.
Night Vision Equipment
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