Officials of the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., announced two contracts Wednesday to the Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control segment in Orlando, Fla., for work involving the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) system.
The first contract, for $215.8 million, calls for Lockheed Martin to provide M-TADS/PNVS systems for the government of India as part of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The second contract, for $13.6 million, asks Lockheed Martin to refurbish M-TADS/PNVS systems for the U.S. Army.
M-TADS/PNVS is the advanced electro-optical fire control system for the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow and AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter that crews use for targeting and pilotage in day, night, and bad weather.
Fielded in 2005, M-TADS/PNVS increases standoff ranging for U.S. forces while providing air crews with greater resolution for pilotage and targeting, enhancing situational awareness, compared to previous versions of the system, Lockheed Martin officials say.
The company has delivered more than 1,300 M-TADS/PNVS systems and spares to the U.S. Army and international militaries.
The Modernized Day Sensor Assembly (M-DSA) of the M-TADS/PNVS enables Apache crews to see color and near-infrared high resolution imagery on cockpit displays to help identify targets at standoff ranges. The M-DSA offers narrow field of view and extended-range picture-in-picture capability.
A high-reliability turret replaces the legacy TADS turret assembly as the structure that interfaces with the Apache aircraft and houses the M-TADS/PNVS sensors. It also houses the motors that drive the azimuth and elevation movement of the sensors.
On the contract to supply the M-TADS/PNVS system to India, Lockheed Martin will do the work in Orlando, Fla., and complete the job by December 2021. On the Army M-TADS/PNVS refurbishment contract, the company will do the work in separate locations and be finished by June 2017.
For more information contact Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control online at www.lockheedmartin.com/us/mfc, or the Army Contracting Command at Rock Island Arsenal at www.acc.army.mil/contractingcenters/acc_ri.
