Electrical connector with integrated electrostatic discharge protection

An electrical connector configured to detachably connect to a connector of a night vision sensor, the electrical connector comprising:

• a dielectric housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a plurality of sides oriented perpendicular to each of the top surface and the bottom surface, and a plurality of cavities descending perpendicularly from the top surface in a direction of the bottom surface;
• a copper ground plate mounted atop or proximal to the top surface of the dielectric housing, the copper ground plate having a plurality of perforations corresponding in number and position with a number and position of the plurality of cavities, each perforation positioned in surrounding relation to one of the plurality of cavities;
• and
• a plurality of electrical contacts, each electrical contact positioned at a bottom of one of the plurality of cavities and extending through the dielectric housing in a direction of the bottom surface, each electrical contact recessed relative to the copper ground plate such that, in use of the electrical connector, a shortest path of electrostatic discharge (ESD) from the connector of the night vision sensor is to the copper ground plate and not any of the plurality of electrical contacts.