AB Night Vision RNVG Dovetail Extension
AB Night Vision RNVG Dovetail Extension
The new RNVG spacer improves upon the Human Factors Engineering (HFE) of the RNVG, and moves the dovetail mounting point approximately 0.80” up and 0.80” forward positioning it better to allow fewer users to have to max out their mount adjustments or fiddle with their helmets as much for proper positioning.
Installation is very simple: To assemble the RNVG Dovetail Extension, you will remove the dovetail screws on your RNVG, screw down the RNVG Dovetail Extension taking care to ensure that the battery cap retention lanyard is captured under the Dovetail Extension, and then screw your dovetail to the RNVG Dovetail Extension. Four screws (the four original mounting screws are re-used for installation) and a 3/32″ Allen wrench are included in the package.
Like many fixed bridge goggle systems, the RNVG is based on the basic layout and architecture of the AN/AVS-6/9 ANVIS systems, however the mounting interface of ANVIS systems is much different than the more common and well known BNVS or “dovetail” mounting configuration such as is used with the RNVG.
In its original configuration, the RNVG’s dovetail mounting shoe was attached directly to the system bridge, which created a very compact goggle, however, it had the unintended result of requiring many users to max out the adjustments of their dovetail mounts, and for a very small percentage of users (<10%), made it difficult to adjust properly for appropriate eye relief.
While the original RNVG dovetail configuration works for the vast majority of users, continual refinement is always worthwhile, and the RNVG dovetail extension spacer places the dovetail in a similar location to devices such as the AN/PSQ-36 FGE and GPNVG.
While it does raise the stowed profile slightly and push the CG out a little further, it does not significantly exceed that of the above-mentioned systems or devices like the legacy AN/PVS-15, or BNVD/BNVD1531 when stowed for quick use (obviously articulating systems can reduce the stowed profile by splaying the optical pods to the side, however they then require an extra step to deploy for use).
The RNVG dovetail spacer is an HFE-driven refinement to the basic RNVG design that shifts the dovetail mounting location and brings it closer in line with goggles such as the AN/PVS-31A BNVD, AN/PSQ-36 FGS/FFS-PI/FGE, and GPNVG. While the RNVG dovetail spacer does slightly increase the stowed profile of the RNVG, it is no greater than that of systems such as the legacy AN/PVS-15, FGE, GPNVG, or other similar systems.