PALM BAY, Fla., 17 March 2006. The DRS Technologies Inc. Optronics unit in Palm Bay, Fla., is building thermal imaging systems for the U.S. Marine Corps M1A1 Abrams main battle tank Firepower Enhancement Program (FEP).
The FEP will increase the Marine Corps day and night war fighting capability by providing rapid target engagement, extending engagement ranges, and increasing lethality. DRS will build and install the FEP variant of Second Generation Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) Thermal Imaging Systems currently used in various U.S. Army ground-based weapon systems.
DRS engineers are doing the work under terms of $15 million in new orders from the Raytheon Co. Network Centric Systems in McKinney, Texas. Deliveries will start in September and finished in August 2007.
"The DRS-built FEP systems provide the Marine Corps M1A1 Abrams with a valuable performance upgrade," says Fred L. Marion, president of DRS's Surveillance & Reconnaissance Group. The FEP enhances the power projection capabilities of Marine Corps ground forces and is to be installed on all Marine M1A1 tanks.
The FEP Second Generation FLIR thermal imaging systems provide high-resolution imagery to detect threats at significantly greater distances under a full range of harsh battlefield conditions, DRS officials say.
They provide increased threat overmatch, while performing far-target location. The FEP systems will include a new Far Target Location sensor that further extends the sighting systems' range and greatly improves situational awareness. For more information contact DRS online at www.drs.com.
