U.S. Air Force officials needed advanced, high-performance thermal imaging equipment to support various surveillance and observation missions. They turned to FLIR Systems Inc. in Wilsonville, Ore., issuing two orders totaling $9.2 million for FLIR’s SeeSpot III+.

The portable SeeSpot III is designed for applications requiring not only high-resolution thermal imaging, but also the ability to see the aiming point of a laser designator. It features four times the thermal sensitivity of uncooled IR imagers to deliver detailed, long-range thermal imagery in day and night conditions. SeeSPOT III+ increases first-hit probability and decreases the risk of friendly-fire causalities by enabling the operator to simultaneously view the laser spot and the surrounding target scene.

Work on the Army orders will be performed at FLIR’s facilities in North Billerica, Mass. Deliveries are expected to be completed within the next six months. For more information, visit FLIR Systems Inc. online at www.flir.com.