Just a heads up. Do not take night vision equipment to Africa without determining their legality. I took a pair a few years ago to Zim and had a great time with them. When I came home, I discovered they were "tools of war" and their possession was subject to imprisonment! Whew!

Right. You can take out Generation I stuff. But Generation II and Generation III and IV require an export license from the Department of State Office of defence Trade Control. Regards

Absolutely wrong! No night vision device may legally be taken out of the US. It does not matter what generation it is. Though never enforced, this even applies to cameras with NV capability (most video cameras have this option now). NV devices can be bought overseas and brought back, but you must declare them and pay duty on them to be legal. US customs does consider these items as tools of war and if they persue matters and prosecute, it carries a MANDATORY five year sentance upon conviction.

Wanna hear something even more stupid? This same rule also applies to Mil Dot riflescopes. Apparently the brain surgeons who we elect to run our country think "Mil" is short for Military rather than miliradian.

PART 121—THE UNITED STATES
MUNITIONS LIST


CATEGORY XII—FIRE CONTROL, RANGE FINDER,
OPTICAL AND GUIDANCE AND CONTROL
EQUIPMENT


*(c) Infrared focal plane array detectors
specifically designed, modified or configured
for military use; image intensification and
other night sighting equipment or systems
specifically designed, modified, or configured
for military use; second generation and
above military image intensification tubes
(defined below) specifically designed, developed, modified or configured for military
use, and infrared, visible and ultraviolet devices specifically designed, developed, modified, or configured for military application.

Military second and third generation image
intensification tubes and military infrared
focal plane arrays identified in this subparagraph are licensed by the Department of
Commerce (ECCN 6A02A and 6A03A) when a
part of a commercial system (i.e. those systems
originally designed for commercial use). This does not include any military system
comprised of non-military specification
components. Replacement tubes or focal
plane arrays identified in this paragraph
being exported for commercial systems are
subject to the controls of the ITAR.

NOTE: Special Definition. For purposes of
this subparagraph, second and third generation
image intensification tubes are defined as
having:

A peak response within the 0.4 to 1.05 micron
wavelength range and incorporating a
microchannel plate for electron image amplification having a hold pitch (center-to-center spacing) of less than 25 microns and
having either:
(a) An S–20, S–25 or multialkali
photocathode; or
(b) A GaAs, GaInAs, or other compound
semiconductor photocathode.

Generation 1 and 2 and 3 are controlled for export from the USA by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security and require a license depending on the end user and country of final destination. While they would require a license for Zimbabwe, a license is not hard to obtain. As stated above, Gen 4 (and some gen 3) are controlled by Defense Trade Controls and would be more difficult to get a license for.

Be careful, Commerce and Customs do look for this stuff and the fines are heavy.