Oh my, now I see there are TWO necro threads on this same topic going ... I'll cross post a link to the other one here
Ok, this is just a summary of some news I posted on another forum, but thought a crosspost here might be of interest. Seems that the US .MIL has developed a new toy - the TCAD - or Thermal Collimated Aiming Device. This will replace the AN/PEQ2A and can be seen by the Clip On Night Vision...
www.snipershide.com
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So lasers visible by thermal have been "available" for at least 5 years ...
The CTAL operates in the thermal range and is designed for use with fielded thermal imagers, fully adjustable for windage and elevation.
www.lmd-corp.com
(download the spec sheet to see there are both LWIR and MWIR models)
Back then I recall finding a pricing sheet on the Laser Max Defense website that quoted $60k as the price for the carbine laser, so these critters would definitely not be free, even if chinese ones were available commercially, which they might be one day. But even at $30k or $20k I can't see them being commercially viable.
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Fast aiming ?
I was not on any of the design teams for any of the original COTIs that came out oh a decade-ish ago. So IDK what problem(s) they were trying to solve, but I do know what problem they solve for me and "FAST AIMING" is definitely it !
And that's why I have 3 of them currently !! And have had 3 others as well.
At any distance most people would be likely to be able to hit a target with a laser and needing fast aiming (meaning you were on the move and/or standing up) ... so maybe 150 yds, the COTI works. PID definitely isn't OASYS like. But you've got at least one pvs-14 up there as well, so between the coti and the 14 you've got a chance of PIDing any critter large enough to be a threat.
And at inside 25yds, like in the woods or a building, you've got a MUCH better chance of "fast PIDing".
You don't even have to pull up to aim/fire with laser, if moving in low ready, you're already shouldered, which is still a good idea, so you just aim with the laser and shoot. I've done this many times on coons, opossum, yotes, etc. usually in the woods, near the coop in KS, most shots inside 50yds. In most cases, the detection, PID, aiming and shot fired was seemingly instantaneous, sub-second.
So the COTI gives you fast aiming !
Now if you ALSO want long distance thermal PID with oasys like image - that's a different story !! The only solution I've come up with for both, is both !
So 14 + COTI on right eye and Skeet on left eye.