French Army Receives First Batch of New Night Vision Goggles

Oct 22, 2024

Thales' Nellie night vision goggles. Photo: Thales

The French Army has received its first 300 Bi-NYX night vision goggles from Thales as part of a 2020 contract.

France’s defense procurement agency ordered 2,000 of these goggles in December 2023, and the remaining 1,700 will be delivered by the end of 2024.

Building on the Nellie model from 2020, the Bi-NYX goggles have two eyepieces and two lenses, weighing less than 460 grams (16.2 ounces) and providing users with a 47-degree extra-wide field of view.

The binoculars will be used by vehicle drivers and specialist frontline units operating at night and in difficult terrain while complementing the O-NYX (two eyepieces/one lens) used by dismounted soldiers.

Thales can produce more than 250 units of these at its Saint-Héand site.

“Today we are delighted to be making the first official delivery of our Bi-NYX night vision goggles ordered for the French Army,” Thales VP for Optronics, Missile Electronics, and Unmanned Air Systems Benoit Plantier said.

“We are firmly convinced of the operational benefits of Bi-NYX goggles in night combat situations.”

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