ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., 31 March 2009. U.S. Army night battle experts are looking to three U.S. military night vision companies -- Raytheon Systems in McKinney, Texas; BAE Systems in Lexington, Mass.; and DRS Sensors and Targeting Systems Inc. in Palm Bay, Fla. -- to provide thermal sight technology for night combat.

The Army Research, Development and Engineering Command Contracting Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is ordering thermal weapon sight technology from the three companies as part of the Thermal Weapon Sights II (TWS-II) program, which seeks to procure thermal sights for small-arms, surveillance and fire-control applications ranging from individual rifles to medium and heavy machine guns and mounted weapon systems. The Army delivery orders were awarded on March 6, and were announced March 27.

Raytheon is receiving a $94,526,312 order for 12,105 thermal weapons sights and related military thermal imaging technology, as well as to begin inserting 17-micron thermal viewer sensor technology. BAE Systems is receiving a $137,583,976 order for 16,155 thermal weapon sights. DRS, meanwhile, is receiving a $120,014,731 order for 13,123 thermal weapon sights.