Thermal and Analog Night Vision go hand in hand. A traditional analog NVG will provide superior performance for navigation due to instant refresh of the image intensifier tube. Where night vision struggles in is quick detection and contrast which can be supplemented with a thermal device. Current helmet mounted options are: Helmet mounted monoculars, a COTI(Clip-on thermal imager), or fusion devices which are the most expensive option.
Pictured is a COTI in front of a AN/PVS-14 compared to a night vision device without.
A dedicated thermal monocular will provide the best image quality compared to a COTI or a Fusion device, typically the resolution of the thermal device will drop to accommodate room for the image intensifier tube.
Below is a photo through a Jerry Fusion mono. Overall it is a capable unit however the lenses suffer from chromatic aberration which can be disappointing depending on the user.
