The Theon-Hensoldt consortium has been awarded a 1-billion-euro ($1.17-billion) contract to deliver approximately 100,000 additional Mikron night vision goggles (NVGs) to Germany and 4,000 to Belgium.
Awarded by the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR), the deal represents the largest single NVG procurement in the history of a European NATO member.
It builds on earlier OCCAR orders for 66,000 NVGs for Germany and 8,000 for Belgium, the majority of which have already been delivered.
Under the broader program, more than 178,000 NVGs are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2030, significantly enhancing the operational readiness and night-fighting capabilities of both nations’ armed forces.
“Night vision devices are not a luxury; they are essential on today’s battlefield, as recent conflicts have clearly demonstrated,” Deputy CEO and Business Development Director of Theon Philippe Mennicken stated.
“With this trend evident in Europe and increasingly visible across the APAC (Asia-Pacific) region, Theon expects to continue growing faster than the market in the man‑portable segment.
Our strategy focuses on cementing our position in night vision and expanding our addressable market, introducing new adjacent products for the soldiers.”
Exosens Tubes
The NVGs will feature 16mm image intensifier tubes from French firm Exosens. In support of the contract, Exosens will provide over 200,000 tubes for the German order valued at approximately 500 million euros ($587 million).
For the Belgian order, around 8,000 tubes will be provided.
“I am extremely proud to announce this contract, which is a strong endorsement of Exosens’ night-vision technology and of the quality of our 16mm image intensifier tubes,” Night Vision Chief Commercial Officer at Exosens Frédéric Guilhem stated.
“By combining a very compact and lightweight design with outstanding performance, our tubes at the heart of the Theon’s Mikron binocular will give every soldier superior night-time situational awareness and safety.”
Mikron-D Night Vision Goggles
The dual-tube binocular design provides superior depth perception compared to single-tube systems, enhancing distance judgment, relative motion awareness, and tasks such as driving.
Suited to special operations forces, each monocular can be flipped away independently for rapid reconfiguration. When stowed, the system conforms to the helmet’s contour, reducing silhouette, neck strain, and the risk of damage.
The Mikron-D is powered by a single AA battery and can also be operated via a rear-mounted remote battery pack on the helmet to extend operational life.
