Breaking News
Thales Reveals New Four-Tube Panoramic Night Vision System Designed to Eliminate Blind Spots at Sofins.
At the SOFINS 2025 exhibition, Thales unveiled for the first time its new PANORAMIC night vision goggles, a four-tube image intensification system specifically designed to meet the operational requirements of special forces and specialized units, particularly in counterterrorism and hostage rescue missions. This new optronic device, developed over a period of just over two years by Thales teams at the dismounted soldier optronics center of excellence, was fully funded by the French Defence Innovation Agency (AID). It reflects France’s intent to provide compact and efficient night vision solutions that are free from ITAR export restrictions.
Weighing just 740 grams, the PANORAMIC is designed to fit within the width of a standard combat helmet while ensuring comfort, stability, and efficient power use.(Picture source: Army Recognition )
The PANORAMIC goggle stands out due to its innovative four-tube architecture, which enables the user to benefit from a panoramic field of view approaching that of human vision. This configuration provides a significant operational advantage by eliminating the lateral head movements typically required with standard two-tube goggles to achieve full peripheral awareness. The enhanced situational perception allows users to detect potential threats more rapidly, thereby improving responsiveness and operational safety during nighttime missions and in demanding environments.
Weighing only 740 grams, the PANORAMIC is engineered not to exceed the width of a standard combat helmet while maintaining stability and user comfort through an optimized design in terms of size, weight, and power consumption (SWaP – Size, Weight and Power). Its ergonomic setup allows for conventional helmet mounting as well as independent flipping of the two side modules, with each movement automatically triggering tube shutdown to maintain operational discretion. The system is powered by standard batteries, and an external battery pack can be added for extended use.
The PANORAMIC is currently undergoing evaluation by the French Army Technical Section (STAT) and special forces units. It has also been designed for compatibility with other optical systems, including the XTRAIM night aiming sight, ensuring seamless integration in operational contexts. A dedicated maintenance solution is provided to support use in modern theaters of operation.
Through this product, Thales demonstrates its ability to address the evolving operational requirements of French and international ground forces. Drawing on nearly thirty years of experience in the field of optronics, the company offers a robust, compact, and modular solution intended for personnel operating in high-risk environments. On the sidelines of the official presentation at SOFINS, Alexis Morel, Vice President for Optronics and Missile Electronics at Thales, emphasized the team's involvement in developing a system aimed at delivering effective performance while ensuring operator safety.
The PANORAMIC night vision goggle represents a new generation of equipment developed for special operations, combining an expanded field of view, optimized ergonomics, and a rugged design. It also reflects France’s commitment to strengthening strategic autonomy in the optronics sector through a fully domestic solution not subject to foreign export controls. Introduced as a direct response to the needs of modern operations, the PANORAMIC marks a significant development in the field of night-time equipment for specialized ground forces.