LAB-NVS.
LAB system: Light Articulated Binocular. The lightest articulated binocular on the market — 90 g bare housing, 470 g in full MIL-STD-810H configuration, 385 g in its ultralight build. Equipped with an NNVT image tube (official France distributor). 25 h minimum battery life. Controlled-atmosphere assembly and purge included. Lifetime housing warranty in France. From €3,480 incl. VAT.
1 / 14Weighed to the gram,
built to last.
No part is decorative. Every gram is arbitrated against a function — sealing, ergonomics, robustness. 90 g isn't a slogan: it's the outcome of a design constrained by mass.
MJF PA12 printed
Polyamide 12 sintered in Multi-Jet Fusion — high mechanical strength, near-perfect isotropy, no weak layers. The material that makes 90 g possible without sacrificing robustness.
316L stainless steel
316L for the pod articulation. Tolerance to salt shocks, MIL-STD-810H vibrations, zero play after cycling. You tighten once — it holds.
7075-T6 aluminium
On critical zones (bridge interface, mounting interfaces, IPD knob): anodised 7075-T6 aerospace alloy. Decent thermal conductivity, controlled mass, matte anti-reflective finish.
The numbers,
exactly.
All values are measured in-house on a production build. No marketing rounding. The full MIL-STD-810H build includes image tube, 40° optical set, AA battery, eye-cup and sacrificial iris.
- Bare housing
- 90 g
- Lightweight configuration (lightweight components)
- 385 g
- MIL-STD-810H configuration (mil-spec components)
- 470 g
- Image tubes
- Configurator: 18 mm tubes — NNVT (official France distributor) as standard. MX-10160 / MX-11769 compatible. 16 mm and FAT ANVIS formats on request.
- Optics
- Configurator: PVS-14 (40° / 50° FOV). ANVIS on request.
- Mount
- Mounting interface on market standards. Shroud / mount not supplied — customer-installed.
- IPD (inter-pupillary distance)
- 56 – 72 mm
- Power source
- 1× AA / LR6 battery (alkaline or lithium)
- Battery life
- 25 h minimum (MIL-STD-810H build, alkaline)
- FOM
- 1200 – 2200+ (depending on selected tube)
- Phosphor
- P43 (green) or P45 (white phosphor, recommended)
- Gating
- Available on NVT4 AG tubes and above
- Waterproof rating
- IP-68 — 2 m immersion / 30 min
- Mechanical resistance
- MIL-STD-810H (shocks, vibrations, extreme temperatures)
- Temperature range
- −30 °C to +50 °C operating
- Design
- France
- Printing (MJF PA12)
- France
- Assembly
- France — by hand, individual quality check
- Lead time
- 30 to 45 business days
- Housing warranty
- 2 years parts and labour — France-based after-sales
- Service included
- Controlled atmosphere assembly and nitrogen purge included (configurator)
Tubes and optics,
your choice.
On the consumables side, the LAB-NVS opens onto the main standards of the NVG industry — you keep the freedom to upgrade your tube or swap optics without touching the housing. The mounting interface follows market standards; the shroud / mount itself is not supplied and is customer-installed.
18 mm tubes in the configurator · 16 mm / FAT ANVIS on request
The online configurator offers NNVT 18 mm tubes — Silicate is the official France distributor, every tube ships with its factory data sheet. 16 mm compact and FAT ANVIS (aviation) formats are available by quote.
PVS-14 in the configurator · ANVIS on request
PVS-14 sets (40° / 50° FOV) directly available in the configurator — the civilian and ground base. ANVIS sets for aviation configurations are available on request, quote within 48 h.
Mounting interface · market standards
The LAB-NVS mounting interface follows market standards. The shroud / mount itself is not commercialised by Silicate Systems and is customer-installed (see Terms of Sale).
To go
further.
Precise answers on the most recurring points — FOM, phosphor, lead times, export. For the rest, contact us directly: we respond within 48 h.
Why 90 g for the bare housing?
The housing is printed in reinforced PA12 nylon using HP's (Hewlett-Packard) MJF technology, a sintered polyamide that combines lightness with high mechanical strength. The geometry is drawn to carry only the mass required for MIL-STD-810H use, without decorative overload. Measured on the articulated-binocular segment — 470 g in full MIL-STD build, 385 g in the lightweight build, ~37% lighter than a reference DTNVS at equivalent functionality.
What is FOM and why does it matter?
The Figure of Merit (FOM) is the synthetic performance indicator for an image tube, computed as resolution (lp/mm) × SNR (signal-to-noise). Above 1800, you're in the high-end range of the NNVT catalogue (NVT6, NVT7 and NVT8 Gen 3). FOM alone isn't everything — gating and phosphor also matter. See our NNVT tubes page for the full catalogue (NVT4 to NVT8).
What's the difference between P43 (green) and P45 (white)?
P43 phosphor produces the traditional green image, perceived as brighter, with better contrast in some scenes. P45 produces a warm white-grey image, considered more natural and less tiring for prolonged use. Neither is objectively better — it's a usage choice. P45 is our default recommendation.
Is the LAB-NVS compatible with my existing optics?
Yes. The online configurator offers PVS-14 sets directly (40° and 50° FOV), the civilian and ground base. For ANVIS sets (aviation configurations), it's on request — contact us, quote within 48 h. The mechanical base accepts both standards.
Which tube formats are supported?
Three formats on the same mechanical base: 18 mm standard (NNVT — official France distributor) directly in the configurator; 16 mm compact (mass gain) and FAT ANVIS (aviation kits) on request. You don't need to change housing to migrate between formats.
What's the lead time?
30 to 45 business days from payment confirmation (and export file validation if needed). Each LAB-NVS is assembled by hand and individually quality-checked before shipping.
What battery and battery life?
A single AA / LR6 cell, mainstream consumer format — whereas most competing binoculars run on CR123, a specialty cell that's noticeably pricier to buy and to replace. Nominal battery life 25 h minimum on a standard alkaline LR6 in full MIL-STD build, more with lithium. You refill your LAB-NVS with what any supermarket sells.
What does the configurator purchase include vs the bare housing?
Every fully configured LAB-NVS includes — at no extra cost — final controlled atmosphere assembly and nitrogen purge, which keep all internal condensation and fogging out for the lifetime of the device. IP-68 sealing itself is delivered by the seals and validated unit by unit before shipping. Both services are also included on any upgrade (tube or optic) fitted in an existing Silicate housing. The bare housing purchase does not cover these steps: you assemble yourself.
What warranty on the housing and NNVT tube?
2 years on mechanical parts (housing, axes, contacts) — after-sales in France, no return abroad. The tube warranty is carried by NNVT and relayed by Silicate as official France distributor: factory data sheet supplied on order, standard exchange on manufacturing defects. Tube reconditioning / upgrade also offered.
LAB-NVS
vs articulated binoculars.
Technical and price comparison with the two market-reference articulated binoculars: the PVS-31 (L3Harris, US) and the DTNVS (ACT In Black, Luxembourg). On battery life, the PVS-31 keeps the edge. On weight, price and France availability — the LAB-NVS wins.
Two ways
into the LAB-NVS.
Already have your tubes and optics? Buy the bare housing and assemble it yourself. Starting from scratch? Configure the full kit — tube, optics, sacrificial, eye-cup — in five steps.
LAB-NVS Housing only
The bare housing (90 g), ready to take your existing 18 mm tubes and PVS-14 optical set. Ideal for migrating your current configuration to the lightest on the market.
Configure my LAB-NVS · from €3,480 incl. VAT
Five steps: NNVT tube (FOM 1400 to 2200+, green or white phosphor), PVS-14 optical set (40° or 50°), sacrificial, eye-cup. Live price update on every selection. 30 to 45 day delivery, 2-year France warranty.
Included at no extra cost: controlled atmosphere assembly and nitrogen purge — keeping internal condensation out over the long run. IP-68 sealing is delivered by the seals and validated unit by unit at end-of-line.