Introduction to Night Fighting
16 February 2019
Kansas City, Missouri area
The Enemy Doesn't Stop At Night
We heard good things about the Night Team Operations class, but for one thing: we didn't get deep enough into the gunfighting. This class will fill that gap, and continue to build on the skills we will be offering around making sure you can operate effectively when the lights are out or the sun is down.
Humans are visual, and have traditionally done all work during the day. But night has tactical advantages, so much mayhem and combat happens at night.
As many a 85% of police shootings in the US happen in low light. Aside from night-time, indoors with the lights out—or cave systems in Afghansistan—are very dark. Are you prepared with the equipment and skills you need to fight at night, and in dark.
Electronics are letting the enemy have night vision, and even thermal, so thhe methods we have used for the past 20 years are becoming less useful, and need to be revisited.
This is an introductory class intended to provide an overview, and basic hands on familiarization with a wide variety of techniques, to include tritium, white light, night vision, lasers, and thermal, and specifically touches on passive aiming methods.
You Must Bring
Not all equipment is needed for each phase, and some is expressly prohibited from certain areas and times. Watch for email notifications of class schedule details, and follow all safety rules:
- Eye protection - Safety glasses are required for the live fire range session. Sealed, ANSI rated goggles are required for the STX.
- Hearing protection - There is a brief range session. It will be rifles, indoors, so we suggest earmuffs and earplugs. Electronic hearing protection is suggested, if you have or can borrow it.
- Compass - It has to be something good, reliable, and which works at night. If you have questions, contact us.
- If a USGI lensatic compass, bring the corresponding protractor or roamer
- Field notebook - Preferably a waterproof one
- Classroom notebook
- Pace Count Beads - Attached securely to your equipment so they can be used while walking in the woods
- Cold and wet weather clothing - Dress appropriately for the environment, including footwear. There will be some classroom time, but we will be in the woods, at night, in February, regardless of the weather. The indoor ranges may also be cold, due to the large volume of air moving to keep the lead levels down.
- Snacks - We will feed you lunch, but bring snacks and drinks. Bring water you can carry while hiking in the woods.
- Dim red light - Some night exercises will require stealth. Bring something dim, and red or with a red filter.
- Hand held white light with a button on the tailcap, and at least 120 lumens of output. Surefire or other quality brands are strongly recommended.
- 5.56 rifle or carbine:
- Absolutely no outside ammunition will be permitted. Even during live fire exercises, ammunition will be provided
- White light strongly suggested
- Red dot sight, or illuminated low-power scope strongly suggested
- If you have an IR laser, be sure to bring that also
- Airsoft Training Rifle:
- At least one, but preferably several magazines
- Pellets (BBs) will be issued. Do not bring your own.
- Bring a muzzle cap so if the rifle is used in the classroom we can be sure it is safe.
- You should bring a rifle set up like your primary weapon, with similar lights, lasers, and sights.
- Optional — Handgun:
- Time permitting, and with class consensus, we may also include some handgun training
- Airsoft, rubber trainers, or live weapons (without ammunition) are all permitted
- There may also be a small portion of live fire with handguns, time permitting, so bring magazines, ammunition and all other accessories required if you so desire
- Any field gear you may need such as LBE, assault pack, map cases, etc. for the STX.
If you have any problems sourcing any of this equipment, or have questions, just ask us.
You Are Encouraged to Bring
- Night vision monocular or binoculars. A small number will be available for loan if you do not have your own.
- Helmet suitable for mounting night vision. A limited number will be available for loan.
- A red dot or illuminated very low power (1-1.5x) magnified optic is suggested
- A weapon mounted white light is highly suggested
- If you have an IR laser, bring it
You May Not Bring
- Loaded weapons to any portion of the training. When live fire is to be performed, you will be instructed when to load and unload the firearms
- Rifle ammunition at any time
- Handgun ammunition, except during the live fire portion; do not load the handgun until directed by the instructors
- Other munitions or pyrotechnics
- Concealed firearms
CWG Will Provide
- Printed Maps (one per team)
- Radios for the FTX
- Demonstration equipment and consumables such as night vision, strobes, IR lasers, flares, and lightsticks
- Small amounts of spare drinking water
- Emergency supplies in the event of accident
Food
CWG will provide lunch on Saturday, but snacks and additional drinks are up to you. Bring a water bottle or other materials as you see fit.
Please keep food to yourself, and only use lidded containers to drink out of to avoid spilling on your, or others' work areas during the classroom times.
A break will be provided between the end of classroom and the STX portion. students will also get their own dinner during this travel time.
Lodging
Shawnee is a suburb of Kansas City, and the training site is within a few minutes of an Interstate. If not from the metro area, there are numerous hotels nearby.
Due to the relatively small expected class size, we do not have special arrangements with any hotels in the area.
Course Plan and Schedule
16 February 2019
- Classroom – Start 11 am
- Safety brief, plan overview
- Principles of night fighting (EMCON, operations before fighting)
- Current conditions: the enemy has night vision /thermal now!
- Lunch, while class continues...
- Using the eye at night
- Illumination flares, and eyeballs
- Cyalume, spotlights, fires, muzzle flash, and more
- Tritium, and GITD
- Illuminated scopes
- Handheld white light techniques
- Weapon mounted lights
- NODs: color, monocular vs binocular, mounting
- NODs and aiming
- NODs and IR lasers
- NODs and RDS
- Clip ons
- Thermal
- Future trends: fusion, wireless links, camouflage (FWIW)
- Familiarization Fire – Start 3 pm
- Safety brief and plan
- Movement to the range, accountability check
- By squads, perform drills in low light, white light, IR laser
- Clear weapons
- Return to classroom
- Dismiss class for dinner and travel appx 5 pm
- STX – Start 7 pm
- Accountability check
- Safety brief and plan, squad up
- Inspect weapons, chrono, safety check of each individual
- STX 1: White light, open area assault on structure
- ENDEX, move to Assembly Area, accountability check, AAR for STX 1
- STX 2: EMCON, dense area silent movement and assault
- ENDEX, move to Assembly Area, accountability check, AAR for STX 1
- Clear and stow/turn-in weapons
- AAR for STX 2
- Demonstration of systems: thermal, clipon
- Questions, remedial training
- Dismissal of class
Registration Will Open Soon!
