PNW-57

The PNW-57 is a family of Soviet-designed, and later Polish-produced, night vision goggles, primarily used by tank drivers. They were developed in the Soviet Union and utilize either Generation 0 or Generation 1 image intensifier tubes. The PNW-57A, a common variant, requires an external power supply and an infrared (IR) illuminator for operation in darker environments.

Originally adopted in the 1960s, the PNW-57 (also referred to as PNV-57) saw widespread use across the USSR. These night vision devices were initially used by tankers for night driving. As all Gen 0 systems did, these required the assistance of an IR illuminator, whether that be on the tank / vehicle itself, or a handheld one. Even with these illuminators, the visibility was limited to a 35 degree field of view as well as being limited by the range of the illumination. The weight is also quite high at around 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) for the full headset.