AN / PSQ - 20 The AN / PSQ - 20 Enhanced Night Vision Goggle ( ENVG ) is a monocular passive night vision device developed for the United States military by ITT Exelis . It fuses image - intensifying and thermal - imaging technologies , enabling vision in conditions with very little light . The two methods can be used simultaneously or individually . Selected by the U . S . Army ' s Program Executive Office Soldier ( http : / / vimeo . com / 4532787 ) as a supporting device for the Future Force Warrior program in 2004 , it is intended to replace AN / PVS - 7 and AN / PVS - 14 systems currently in use . Although more expensive and heavier than these devices , special forces units and the 10th Mountain Division were fielding the AN / PSQ - 20 by mid - 2009 . Improvements to the product have been attempted to make it lighter , as well as to enable transmission of digital images to and from the battlefield . Development . In August 2003 , The Program Executive Office Soldier ( PEO Soldier ) , the acquisition agency of the United States Army , started evaluating designs from ITT Industries and Northrop Grumman for an advanced night vision device that could support the planned Future Force Warrior program . Of the two competing designs , the ITT design which was developed in association with Raytheon , was chosen for development in July 2004 with an initial order for 75 systems . Development testing of the ENVG with the army , designated AN / PSQ - 20 , began by mid - 2006 , which was completed in March 2007 . Operational testing started in June 2007 , with low - rate initial production of the device beginning around the same time . ITT were given a five - year contract in April 2005 with a potential value of US $ 560 million , with the view of replacing the existing AN / PVS - 7 and AN / PVS - 14 . Design and features . The AN / PSQ - 20 Enhanced Night Vision Goggle combines image intensifier ( I2 or II ) and infra - red ( IR , also called thermal imaging ) technologies , and is the first night vision device to do so . Before this " fusing " , these two technologies could only be used separately . The AN / PSQ - 20 allows both methods to be used together or individually , and can be helmet - mounted or hand held . It is roughly the same size as the AN / PVS - 14 with similar controls , and is powered by four AA type batteries allowing continuous combined use of II and IR for 7 . 5 hours . The device can be used for a further 7 . 5 hours in II mode . Classified as a third - generation passive night vision device , the AN / PSQ - 20 can provide vision through thermal imaging even in situations where there isn ' t enough ambient light for the image intensifiers , thus eliminating the need for infra - red illumination ( active night vision ) . It can also see through battlefield obscurants such as smoke and fog . The combined technologies allow better target identification and recognition , thereby improving the soldier ' s mobility and situational awareness . The center of gravity of the device is close to the face of the wearer , making the helmet - mounted use more comfortable , as well as increasing stability . Aiming lasers can also be integrated with it . However , at a unit cost of $ 10 , 000 and with a weight of almost , the AN / PSQ - 20 is more expensive and heavier than the devices it is intended to replace . Service and improvements . The AN / PSQ - 20 ENVG was first issued to the US Army in April 2008 . The 10th Mountain Division received about 300 units in February 2009 , making it the first non - special forces unit to use the device . PM Soldier Sensors and Lasers , which is part of PEO Soldier , has been working on making the AN / PSQ - 20 more rugged by using tougher housing material . Efforts have also been made to make the device lighter , as well as to produce and transmit digital images of the view provided . As a result , a prototype named Digital Enhanced Night Vision Goggle or ENVG ( D ) was provided to the army for evaluation in June 2009 , which enables digitally fused images to be exported and imported .