How are the different colored lenses on military flashlights used?

[Grahamione]

I've seen blue,red,green,amber and clear lenses on the flashlights but I don't know why you would use the other ones

[americanarmsdealer]

I know that red helps preserve your night vision, and if I recall correctly, there are some lenses that make the light visible only to night vision equipment. Basically, it turns the flashlight into an Infrared marker. Well, I guess I'm just a wealth of information, huh?:blink::lol::lol:But that's all I got.:001_smile Oh, and one of the colors (blue maybe) is useful for tracking blood trails.

[Thebigspendur]

The red is used to cut down the light at night so you are not a target and it helps your night vision. The other colors are just gimmicks and have no value other than the color if you like it.

[john parker]

Yes, cockpit lighting for night is red and flashlight lens covers are red for night vision. Just be careful using colored pencils/pens to annotate your maps/air charts because the red light will change the apparent colors! Red lines sort of disappear, if I recall correctly, and green becomes black. Could become a problem!

[fireengineer2004]

The red is used to cut down the light at night so you are not a target and it helps your night vision. The other colors are just gimmicks and have no value other than the color if you like it.

Actually, the red and blue both preserve night vision and the blue is less visible to night vision devices that work nearer to infra red. Also, it can help to ID friendlies...

[rod251]

When deer hunting, I like to walk to my stand using a green light. It doesn't spook deer like a regular light can.

[blantyre]

Actually, the red and blue both preserve night vision and the blue is less visible to night vision devices that work nearer to infra red. Also, it can help to ID friendlies...

When I'm out for a blast on some nice country road, I have thought of the blue flashing lights as "friendlies".

[Blue Raccoon]

Blue will cause blood to kind of glow in the dark..

[dpm802]

All I know, is that if you put the word "Tactical" on the package, it will cost about 5 times as much.

[kg4ghn]

All I know, is that if you put the word "Tactical" on the package, it will cost about 5 times as much.

but but but it makes it 10 time as COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :001_rolle:

:lol::lol::lol:

[_JP_]

When I was wearing the OD Greens, we had two lenses for the flashlight. There was the red one for night vision. The other was a thick opaque white lens. The purpose of that was one was to allow you to view something close up (such as a map) without drawing enemy fire.

[Leche]

A Thomas Brothers map is virtually impossible to read with a red light.

[Ethan.Bassist.]

A Thomas Brothers map is virtually impossible to read with a red light.

Do you often read T. Bros. maps in tactical situations during road trips? lol. "Honey... I mean Alpha Delta... hand me the map. And the flashlight. NO! Not the normal flashlight! The Wilson's will see us. I need the RED flashlight."
:001_smile

[Leche]

Do you often read T. Bros. maps in tactical situations during road trips? lol. "Honey... I mean Alpha Delta... hand me the map. And the flashlight. NO! Not the normal flashlight! The Wilson's will see us. I need the RED flashlight."
:001_smile

:lol::lol::lol:

The vehicles I work in are equipped with red lights to preserve vision, unfortunately the maps didn't get the memo.

[instpasr]

Blue light makes blood easier to see in the dark.

[DavyRay]

The various colored lenses may be used for signalling. Signalling colors are whatever your unit defines.

[tattewell]

I cant speak for how the American Military does it, though I would suspect they do the same as we do in the Canadian Military.

As everybody has pretty much stated, Red helps with night vision, not night vision goggles, but YOUR night vision... However, you really cant use it for reading a map as all of the topo lines are usually written in red.

This is where the blue light comes in, you first glance at the map with your red and make not of the major waterways in your route of travel, then switching to a blue light you can make note of the elevation changes along your route, possible locations for defilade and enfilade fire and natural choke points.... so yes in a sence the blue light is uber tactical. As interior lighting in military vehicles is usually red at night for tactical movement, you will usually find a small blue reading light in the crew commanders location for this purpose...

[MrMurphy]

Red is for night vision as stated.

Blue is often used by medics because under red light, everything looks red, including spilled water AND blood where under blue, blood apparently looks different (having been told this by four different combat medics from 3 different services, I tend to believe it).

Green is less visible than red and can be used at closer ranges when reading things.

All military maps are supposed to be RLR (Red light readable).......even military-issue Bibles are.

[doug1066]

Red is used to preserve night vision. Blue is used to read maps and nautical charts. I am a navigator on a 90' boat and use a blue lens on my Mini-Mag at night for this purpose. Amber is used in foggy, hazy or smoky conditions.

[Monkeydad]

Yes, cockpit lighting for night is red and flashlight lens covers are red for night vision. Just be careful using colored pencils/pens to annotate your maps/air charts because the red light will change the apparent colors! Red lines sort of disappear, if I recall correctly, and green becomes black. Could become a problem!


So maybe that's the reason for the French military record? Don't blame the French, blame their flashlights.

[Groat]

As everybody has pretty much stated, Red helps with night vision, not night vision goggles, but YOUR night vision... However, you really cant use it for reading a map as all of the topo lines are usually written in red.

The maps used in the US military will state "red-light readable" on them. The lines that would otherwise be red are usually sort of a red-brown on those maps, allowing you to use a red light to view them. Some 'tactical' lights have IR LEDs built into them, for enhancing your field of vision while wearing a night vision device.

However, most of the time products that use the wording 'tactical' on the package are just trying to get civilians to buy it. Things meant to be tactical are often not labeled as such.

[Token Kipper]

I've seen blue,red,green,amber and clear lenses on the flashlights but I don't know why you would use the other ones

Pre-electronic chart days, I used the amber lens when plotting fixes / checking nav charts on the bridge at night. When maintaining night vision, amber allows you to see all the lines, writing and icons on the Nav chart.

Cheers,