U.S military orders $31,250,000 worth of flashlights etc.
- Thread starter NWdude83
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http://www.phantomlights.com/
:thinking:
This doesn't appear to be too groundbreaking, but what do I know?
:thinking:
This doesn't appear to be too groundbreaking, but what do I know?
"Be a Phantom Warrior® or become a TARGET!®" bahahahahahaha this is what happens when congress doesn't hire a subject matter expert to explore what is out there but instead gives the contract to their cousin/brother/other relative...looks like a chinsy half-arsed site i bet we see corruption charges filed on this eventually
DimeRazorback
Flashlight Enthusiast
I don't see what is so good about those lights :shrug:
Text on the flashlight portion of the site says, "Phanton Warrior Flashlight 180 hour Mission Requires: 4- AA Alkaline Batteries and 1 shock proof bulb" and "Standard Right Angle Flashlight5 pounds of D cell batteries or Mini AA Flashlight --50 AA Batteries (Both use many bulbs!)"
So... I'm guessing LEDs with infrared filtering. They make a lot of other stuff, though.
So... I'm guessing LEDs with infrared filtering. They make a lot of other stuff, though.
LEDobsession
Enlightened
I always thought the US Military would be all over surefire stuff......:shrug:
Size15's
Flashaholic
If you check out the website it shows a broad range of military products of which flashlights are small part. They make light kits for various task illumination and runway markers that can be operated (dimmed etc) using transmitters.
My guess is that the flashlights portion that a Flashaholic would sniff at is quite a small proportion of the overall cost of the contract compared to the far more specialist products.
My guess is that the flashlights portion that a Flashaholic would sniff at is quite a small proportion of the overall cost of the contract compared to the far more specialist products.
baterija
Flashlight Enthusiast
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I've looked at the site before. Not a great site but I thought it was a very interesting light. I almost but didn't put the effort into registering so I could at least see pricing. Both a red filtered white LED and the non-filtered white LED's have a distinct signature to typical night vision systems so there is something more just using an LED compared to an incan at work. If it performs anywhere close to the sites marketing pitch I don't know of any direct competitors.
Why haven't we heard about them more? Well most here can't even register with the website to see pricing details. :nana: It sounds like they probably have a good chunk of their business in non-flashlight based lighting modules for tactical vehicles and aircraft as well. Hard to say what chunk of the contract is for those systems versus handheld flashlights.
Why haven't we heard about them more? Well most here can't even register with the website to see pricing details. :nana: It sounds like they probably have a good chunk of their business in non-flashlight based lighting modules for tactical vehicles and aircraft as well. Hard to say what chunk of the contract is for those systems versus handheld flashlights.
from their website "It permits the operator to remotely dim the lights remotely when full intensity would create hazardous conditions." thats under redundancy department...but it does look like they cater to very specific needs..like battery operated TOC lighting based on the every present singars batteries as the power source...thats a pretty tight niche to fill but i guess its 32,000,000 worth of niche
choaticwhisper
Enlightened
I've seen a few of their products
Phantom Cockpit / Vehicular Light = Dim cheap bulbs and has a blue filter mounted inside. Maybe an older version, Didnt look just like the pic.
Also seen a LED light bar.
All the flashlights Ive seen come out are the fulton angle lights.
Phantom Cockpit / Vehicular Light = Dim cheap bulbs and has a blue filter mounted inside. Maybe an older version, Didnt look just like the pic.
Also seen a LED light bar.
All the flashlights Ive seen come out are the fulton angle lights.
lebox97
Enlightened
hmmm, I'll have to drop by for a visit -
I am 2 miles away from them, drive by their office just about every day, and I've never heard of 'em! :thinking:
I am 2 miles away from them, drive by their office just about every day, and I've never heard of 'em! :thinking:
Even LEDs emit low levels of IR. It's not as much as incans for instance, but it's there. It's just not useable with NVGs.
I remember a company who had a way of eliminating almost all the IR radiation from their LEDs. Don't remember who, but their website gave much more technical information than these guys.
I remember a company who had a way of eliminating almost all the IR radiation from their LEDs. Don't remember who, but their website gave much more technical information than these guys.
i just don't get what the NVG hype is about, our enemies right now don't really have/use NVG at all, so if you hide all your infrared signature, the only people you are hiding from are friendlies...our uniforms even have IR tabs and identifiers all over them...so the idea is to definitely emit IR so everyone good knows exactly where you are....
Mr_Black
Newly Enlightened
Wow, that brings back memories. I almost forgot that I had one of those flashlights. I got issued one when I first got to my Guard unit back in 2001 or 2002. I don't have the original manual so I don't have all of the specs but I think I remember it being the medic version that has a blue LED (in addition to the white LED) for doing eye exams. I don't think I ever used it in the field and it's been sitting in my basement for years. I remember being unimpressed by the light and ended up picking up a SureFire Z2 before I got deployed.
Linger
Flashlight Enthusiast
Yeah, that'll be the problem. People will still be posting to CPF to send lights to soldiers deployed to whatever country is next because the phantom lights severely under perform. Be interesting to know if there is any gain here.
Wonder how they beat out the other 62 companies. I wonder if 4sevens will start bidding with a consortium for parts of these contracts...
*edit - just checked out the site, disapointing.
Dive Lights
top - get pricing The macro blend cases are impact and temperature resistant, and salt water corrosion proof! They are 6.5 inches long and 1.25 inches in diameter--and last 1-3 years on a set of batteries!
Total non-flashaholic sales pitch here. Who among use wants a light that lasts 1-3 years on set of batteries? We'd all know the reason it lasts long is because it's not drawing much power and isn't bright at all.
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cdosrun
Enlightened
I can't find the thread at the moment (at work so only looking quickly) but I think it was either 'flying turtle' or 'subumbra' who was caught up Katrina and wrote about his experiences.
I recall that he reported the cyan coloured lights to be invisible to NVG, nothing to do with IR output. Perhaps these lights have switchable white/cyan LEDs.
EDIT: My apologies, I think it was Sub_umbra but I cannot find the thread. The light colour in question was turquoise. Memory is obviously failing!
I recall that he reported the cyan coloured lights to be invisible to NVG, nothing to do with IR output. Perhaps these lights have switchable white/cyan LEDs.
EDIT: My apologies, I think it was Sub_umbra but I cannot find the thread. The light colour in question was turquoise. Memory is obviously failing!
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RobertM
Flashlight Enthusiast
Not when his lights are made in China...
baterija
Flashlight Enthusiast
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Don't tell the IDF that all the threats out there don't have night vision capabilities. Their experience against Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon in 2006 denies the "don't really have/use NVG at all" statement. Hezbollah did not field the density of night capable systems available to the IDF or US troops but did utilize a mix of systems. Some were civilian video cameras with limited but real capability. Some were military grade NVGs. They also fielded some thermal site capability with the launch units for the Russian built Kornet (NATO name AT-14 Spriggan). I know they also have Milan anti-tank missles but don't know if they had the thermal add on package available for the tracking unit. Like I said nowhere near the density of a more modern military force but if employed smartly they can still be put to good effect. In fact, according to the IDF, they were indeed put to good effect.
It might be important to note that the ACU was designed with the integrated glint tape made so that it could be hidden and any add on patches can be removed. It would have been simpler and cheaper to just sew the glint with no integral ability to hide it. They didn't pursue that route in the design.
While I withhold judgement on the light's effectiveness in it's role not drawing much power is exactly what I want. Every military force fields the Mk1 night adapted eyeball as a night vision device. It's not a tactical light for the times you want to light up the world. It would seem to be best, and find it's niche, in the low-low world. Something that would give me better color rendition than a monochromatic cyan or red light/filter while reducing the NVG detectable signature as I check a map or some other critical but not tacticool task. (I assume they are whacking some of even the red/near red that even a cool LED has. That will make for bad color rendering but could be better than monochromatic.)
I will admit the flashlight, despite the possible innovation looks like it could stand with a good design. The UI is unclear and would be huge in my mind for it being a good fit to the role. The TOC lights and vehicle crew compartment lighting is more intriguing to me. TOC lighting doesn't usually have a big market draw with the mall ninja crowd. Most of those involved in the decision making on this probably spent time in TOCs though.
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