Do not need night vision to detect IR, you can do it with a cheap night camera or heck an Iphone w/ nv app.
Try it, light up an IR beacon or IR assist on a NVG and turn on a night capable camera or video cam and you NVG will be compromised, and FRiend you will be a compromised target.
Just picked up a Mil Spec GEN3 weapon sight and put it on my M1A. Prices are coming down (4200), but you are correct, weight is still up there. Do not plan on humpin’ around with it, so does not matter much.
This is my first stationary, everything else is monoculars w/headsets
Yeah, sounds like you read the Michael Yon piece yesterday, too. It was very educational.