As ruthless as the Russian military has been in Ukraine, there is one major gap in their fighting arsenal…
Fighting in the dark.
And Russian forces suffer significant losses at night.
One of the biggest reasons for this is because of Ukraine’s tactical drone unit called Aerorozvidka.
The military unit has the Latin motto “Non dormies,” which means, “You will not sleep.”
Under the cover of darkness, the unit has used drones with thermal imaging to strike Russian forces.
Because of the cold temperatures, Russian forces keep their tanks and vehicles running at all times.
This has allowed Ukraine to use thermal imaging drones to identify Russian locations.
In turn, once the Ukrainians identify the Russians with the drones, they use anti-tank grenades to strike.
The fact is that Ukraine has been collecting night vision and thermal devices since at least 2014, which helped them gain an advantage in the darkness.
The way thermal imaging devices work is by detecting the infrared radiation given off by warm objects.
According to one Ukrainian military leader, “When we deal with Russia, we see that in its bulk, in its mass, Russian forces, they do not conduct combat operations at night.”
This is because Russia does not issue night-vision or thermal imaging gear to regular troops, only their special forces.
Conversely, Ukraine has received billions of dollars in weapons and equipment, including night vision and thermal imaging.
A Ukrainian commander said, “The only way for us to prevail in this fight is to act with higher quality because we cannot act with quantity like Russia.”
Being able to see and operate in the dark is a huge tactical advantage.
So, even though you aren’t fighting on the front lines of a war, there could be times when you need to see in the dark.
Here are some things to consider about thermal imaging and why you might choose it over “night vision” technology…
The difference between night vision and thermal imaging:
Night vision works by absorbing light, magnifying it, then displaying the image in black and white.
Thermal imaging works by measuring the heat signals of objects and comparing them to each other.
Warmer objects are brighter and stand out compared to other things around them.
While most folks are familiar with night vision optics, thermal imaging is another option to consider.
Here are a few reasons why:
Complete darkness:
Night vision equipment requires some light. For instance, this could be moonlight or even lights from a city.
On the other hand, thermal imaging devices don’t need any light to work. Thermal devices detect changes in temperature and use those to form a picture.
Whether it’s a human, animal, or car engine, thermal images detect the heat and form a picture.
Some thermal image devices can detect a warm drop of blood, or a blood trail, for example, from a deer that has been shot and is running.
See-through obstacles:
Another advantage of thermal imaging is the ability to see through some impediments. For instance, thermal devices can see through tall grass, smoke, and even fog.
Of course, thermal imaging won’t allow you to see through a block wall. But it will provide more images compared to night vision.
For instance, it can allow you to see a person laying down and hiding in the brush.
See during the day:
Thermal devices can work as well during the day as at night, so you won’t need to change out optics like you would if you were using night vision.
Since they use temperature instead of light, you will see the same warm image during the day or night.
With that being said, after darkness, the image from thermal devices will be clearer compared to daylight.
If you are considering a thermal scope for your firearm, you could check out products from ATN such as the Thor-LT 160.
ATN sells devices that start at around $600 and go up from there.
The ability to see in the dark, especially when defending your home, is vital for giving you the advantage in a confrontation.
Further, adding thermal imaging to your home defense plan can give you peace of mind that even if something “goes bump” in the night…
You will be able to identify the threat, acquire the target, and take care of business if the situation calls for it.
