RAE Bedford had a forward looking Low Light TV installed in the HS 748 used by the Blind Landing Experimental Unit - early 1970s. It was not IR based, just enhancement.
No great improvement, just differed from normal vision in the same conditions.
The system was used in the late 70s to gather raw video for an unknown future system of 'active TV'.
Low level flying - 100 ft in Wales, Scotland and Germany.