Imaging systems under fire control, laser, imaging and guidance equipment — USML Category XII
Controls night vision, thermal and weapon-mounted imaging systems that meet named tube, wavelength and military end user tests.
The entry, quoted as it reads today
* (c) Imaging systems or end items, as follows: (1) Binoculars, bioculars, monoculars, goggles, or head or helmet-mounted imaging systems (including video-based articles having a separate near-to-eye display), as follows: (i) Employing an autogated third generation image intensifier tube or a higher generation image intensifier tube; (ii) Fusing output of an image intensifier tube and an infrared focal plane array having a peak response wavelength greater than 1,000 nm; or (iii) Having an infrared focal plane array or infrared imaging camera, and specially designed for a military end user; (2) Weapon sights ( i.e., with a reticle) or aiming or imaging systems (e.g., clip-on), specially designed to mount to a weapon or to withstand weapon shock or recoil, with or without an integrated viewer or display, and also incorporating or specially designed to incorporate any of the following: (i) An infrared focal plane array having a peak response wavelength exceeding 1,000 nm; (ii) Second generation with luminous sensitivity greater than 350 µA/lm, third generation, or higher generation, image intensifier tubes; (iii) Ballistic computing electronics for adjusting the aim point display; or (iv) Infrared laser having a wavelength exceeding 710 nm; (3) Electro-optical reconnaissance, surveillance, target detection, or target acquisition systems, specially designed for articles in this subchapter or specially designed for a military end user (MT if for determining bearings to specific electromagnetic sources (direction finding equipment) or terrain characteristics and designed or modified for rockets, missiles, SLVs, drones, or unmanned aerial vehicle systems capable of delivering at least a 500 kg payload to a range of at least 300 km); (4) Infrared search and track (IRST) systems having one of the following: (i) Airborne or naval systems, that: (A) Have range performance of 3 km or greater; (B) Incorporate or are specially designed to incorporate an infrared focal plane array or imaging camera, having a peak response wavelength exceeding 3 microns or greater; and (C) Maintain positional or angular state of a target through time; or (ii) Specially designed for a military end user; (5) Distributed aperture systems having a peak response wavelength exceeding 710 nm specially designed for articles in this subchapter or specially designed for a military end user; (6) Infra
Corpus last verified 2026-08-29. Skenai never shows unquoted regulation.
In plain language
Category XII(c) covers imaging end items rather than the components inside them. It reaches goggles, monoculars, bioculars, head or helmet-mounted imagers, weapon sights, reconnaissance systems, infrared search and track systems, and distributed aperture systems. The paragraph is organised by article type, then by the sensing technology inside.
Two kinds of test run through the paragraph. The first is a device parameter, such as an autogated third generation tube or an array with peak response above 1,000 nm. The second is design intent, expressed as specially designed for a military end user.
Weapon sights are treated separately at (c)(2). The article must mount to a weapon or withstand weapon shock or recoil, and also carry a listed feature. Those features include a long-wave focal plane array, a higher generation tube, ballistic computing electronics, or an infrared laser above 710 nm.
The questions this entry turns on
- 01Does the imager employ an autogated third generation or higher image intensifier tube?
- 02Does the infrared focal plane array have a peak response wavelength exceeding 1,000 nm?
- 03Was the article specially designed for a military end user, or for another article in this subchapter?
- 04Is the sight specially designed to mount to a weapon or to withstand weapon shock or recoil, with a listed feature?
- 05Does the IRST system have range performance of 3 km or greater with peak response exceeding 3 microns and target state held through time?
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What typically falls in, and what typically falls out
Typically in
- A clip-on thermal weapon sight with a long-wave infrared array, which typically reads onto paragraph (c)(2)
- Night vision goggles built on autogated third generation tubes, typically caught by paragraph (c)(1)(i)
- A head-mounted imager fusing intensifier output with a short-wave infrared array, typically caught by (c)(1)(ii)
Typically out
- A handheld thermal camera sold for building envelope inspection, typically without the military end user design intent
- A visible-band machine-vision camera on a factory line, which typically carries no intensifier or infrared array
- A birding monocular with a visible-band sensor and no reticle, typically outside the enumerated imaging types
These are typical cases, not determinations. Which side a specific product lands on turns on the answers in the Interview.
Adjacent entries
- Optical sensors and equipment — ECCN 6A00215 CFR 774, Supplement No. 1, ECCN 6A002
- Cameras, systems and equipment — ECCN 6A00315 CFR 774, Supplement No. 1, ECCN 6A003
- Specially designed — 22 CFR 120.4122 CFR 120.41
Does your product land on this entry?
The Interview asks 5 to 9 questions, only the ones this entry turns on, and names the Determination free. The Dossier is the dated, cited record of how it was reached.
Free, no account. Dossier $249 if you want the record.