July 21, 2026: The American Army recently adopted and purchased 8,936 DAGIR-V1 Multi-Platform Systems. These systems will be issued to the troops next year. DAGIR-V1 uses a NIR/Near-Infrared illuminator and visible aiming lasers in a sturdy aluminum enclosure. Other features include an over-bore 40 mW IR pointer and dual 350 mW VCSEL-based IR illuminators that can pierce dense photonic interference and high ambient light. Users can adjust beam divergence and output quickly without losing their grip on the weapon.

This system runs on the MINIRVA diode platform, which uses VCSEL tech for tighter beam projection and sharper illumination. That means better target ID and situational awareness in the field. SOCOM/Special Operations Command has already used DAGIR, having adopted the V1 under the SAL-UHP program and the V2, which adds a visual laser override button.

DAGIR-V1 is a step up from the red laser spotting devices for rifles that have been around for over three decades, but superior (in many ways) green laser versions began to appear a decade ago. These have many advantages over red lasers and are now frequently used by the military and police. Despite the superiority of green lasers, red lasers appeared first because their beams were easier to generate and required less energy. But now technology has advanced to the point where green laser devices are as compact and sturdy as red ones.

While the green laser dot can be seen twice as far, 50 meters with the naked eye, 100 meters or more via a scope, as red laser, it also creates a more prominent laser path, which leads right back to the shooter. But in many combat situations, the longer range and better visibility for the shooter are crucial advantages.

But there is another type of light pointer that is even more effective. This has long been present in the American Army's MFAL/Multi-Functional Aiming Light. This looks like a small flashlight and attaches to the rifle. But this device can emit visible or invisible IR/infrared light. The invisible IR light (except to the shooter or anyone else viewing the scene through IR-sensitive lenses) maintains the element of surprise.

There are other advantages to IR. When using IR, you go into a cave or dark room, providing light only you can see, with your night-vision equipment. If you are really quiet, you have a big advantage over the enemy soldiers trying to hide in the dark. This rig also allows you to see any booby traps the enemy may have laid for you. MFAL also emits a red laser-pointer dot. The MFAL was developed with feedback from combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mounted on the rifle like a scope, the ILWLP/Integrated Laser White Light Pointer provides an infrared aiming light out to 600 meters and an infrared illuminator for 300-600 meters, depending on how much moonlight is available. The infrared illuminator can also light up an interior space of about 45 square meters. For the infrared illuminator, you need infrared lenses on your goggles to see what the infrared light illuminates. A red dot laser is also built into the unit and has a range of 10-25 meters, depending on the lighting conditions. There is also a white-light flashlight capability that enables facial recognition out to 25 meters. Naturally, the ILWLP costs more than ten times as much as the Surefire White Light. A green dot can be added to these devices, as some green dot pointers weigh only 29 grams, including batteries.