Northrop Grumman Corp.’s Electronic Systems sector, California Microwave Systems unit, located in Belcamp, Md., awarded DRS Technologies in Parsippany, N.J., a new $7 million contract to produce lightweight electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor systems for the U.S. Army’s Future Combat System (FCS) program Class I Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

The sensors will provide imagery during reconnaissance, surveillance, and target-acquisition (RSTA) missions and enhanced reconnaissance and security/early-warning capabilities, which will increase situational awareness. They also will provide common operating-picture information to aid line-of-sight (LOS), non-LOS, and beyond LOS targeting.

Northrop Grumman is the aerial-sensor integrator on the Boeing/SAIC-led Future Combat System program. For this award, DRS will develop and provide emulators and prototypes of an EO/IR system that meets the RSTA requirements of the FCS Class I UAV. Work will be accomplished by the company’s DRS Sensors and Targeting Systems unit California Division, in Cypress, Calif., and will continue through September 2008.

“DRS is providing a best-value solution by leveraging the common components of the Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor in the Thermal Weapon Sights (TWS) and Driver Vision Enhancers (DVE) we produce for the U.S. Army,” says James M. Baird, president of DRS’s Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA) Segment. “The successful completion of the system development phase on this program will place the company in a solid position as the supplier of choice for full rate production.”

DRS’s sensor system provides commonality with manned and unmanned ground operations. The company’s sensor and imaging technology also supports other U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force mission applications and can be used to support emerging RSTA missions on multiple platforms for multiple applications.

For more information, visit www.drs.com.