Night vision acronyms

AN/PVS - passive vision sight ?
AN/NVS - night vision system ?
AN/AVS - aviators night vision imaging system ?

What is the AN/ part ?

Is PVS always a scope i.e. tube, and AVS is helmet mounted goggles ?

AN - Army / Navy

opps - second part - often thought of as Personal Vision System, but I think its actually Portable Visual Search

Each term represents a "standard" at the time - PVS7 will always be the single tube goggles - head or helmet mounted, PVS15 - dual Tube, PVS14 is a monocular only unlike the PVS7

AN= At Nighttime?

AN/PVS = Army Navy/ Passive Vision System. Meaning it is passive and does not require active IR light from a IR spotlight or other source to work and magnifies the ambeiant light from stars , moon and such.

The number following the PVS designates the unit, say AN/PVS-7, 7A, 7B, 7C for example.

isn't it related to the AN coding system (JETDS) - each letter stands for something?

- PVS is Portable Visual Search

for Civilians they should just be called FCS ...!!!

The following chart describes the various JETDS codes as used on military equipment.
To use the chart, break down the code in the following groups and identify its content
according to the chart bellow. Use the example bellow as a guide.

AN/PRC-66B (X,Y or Z) (V)
AN/ - indicates JETDS System
P - indicates the Installation
R - indicates the Type of Equipment
C - indicates the Purpose
66 - indicates the model number
B - indicates the modification letter
X,Y or Z - indicates a change in voltage, phase or frequency
(V) - indicates a Variable Grouping

Therefore, in the example above, the AN/PRC-66B is described as follows:
AN/ = Army-Navy
P = Pack or portable
R = Radio
C = Communications
66 = Model number
B = Modification letter
Installation
A Airborne (installed and operated in aircraft).
B Underwater mobile, submarine.
C Air transportable (inactivated, do not use).
C Cryptographic
D Pilotless carrier.
F Fixed Ground.
G Ground, general ground use (includes two or more ground type installations).
K Amphibious.
M Ground, mobile (installed as operating unit in a vehicle which has no function other than transporting the equipment.
P Pack or portable (animal or man).
S Water surface craft.
T Ground transportable.
U General utility (includes two or more general installation classes, airborne, shipboard, and ground).
V Ground, vehicular (installed in vehicle designed for functions other than carrying electronic equipment, etc., such as tanks).
W Water surface and underwater.
Z Piloted/Pilotless airborne vehicle, combined.

Type of Equipment
A Invisible light, head radiation.
B Pigeon.
B COMSEC
C Carrier, electronic wave/signal.
D Radiac.
E Nupac.
E Laser.
F Photographic.
F Fiber optics.
G Telegraph or Teletype.
I Interphone and public address.
J Electro-mechanical or inertial wire covered (not otherwise covered).
K Telemetering.
L Countermeasures.
M Meteorological.
N Sound in air.
P Radar.
Q Sonar and underwater sound.
R Radio.
S Special types, magnetic, etc., or combination of types.
T Telephone (wire).
V Visual and visible light.
W Armament.
X Facsimile or television.
Y Data processing.
Z Communications

Purpose
A Auxiliary assemblies (not complete operating sets used with or part of two or more series).
B Bombing.
C Communications (receiving and transmitting).
D Direction finding and/or reconnaissance and surveillance.
E Ejection and/or release.
G Fire control or searchlight direction.
H Recording and/or reproducing (graphic meteorological and sound).
K Computing
L Searchlight control (inactivated use G).
M Maintenance and test assemblies (including tools).
N Navigational aids (including altimeters, beacons, compasses, racons, depth sounding, approach, and landing).
P Reproducing (inactivated, do not use).
Q Special, or combination of purposes.
R Receiving, passive detecting.
S Detecting and/or range bearing, search.
T Transmitting.
W Automatic flight or remote control.
X Identification and recognition.
Y Surveillance and control.
Z Secure

Does anyone have a pvs14 for sale?