PARSIPPANY, N.J., 7 Nov. 2006. DRS Technologies Inc. has received approximately $76 million in new orders to produce next-generation thermal weapon sights II (TWS II) for U.S. Army ground force applications.
DRS received the new orders from the U.S. Army's Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) acquisition center in Fort Monmouth, N.J., acting on behalf of Program Executive Office Soldier.
For these orders, DRS will produce light, medium, and heavy thermal weapon sights, which will utilize the company's uncooled infrared technology.
Work for this contract will be accomplished by the company's DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems – Optronics Division in Palm Bay and Melbourne, Fla., and Infrared Technologies Division in Dallas, Texas, and Irvine, Calif. Product deliveries will be in excess of 1,600 light, 3,900 medium, and 2,000 heavy thermal weapon sights.
This order is part of a competitively secured five-year contract awarded to DRS in March 2004. The contract has a total potential value of $375 million, including options.
The DRS family of TWS II use advanced uncooled thermal imaging sensors that support the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Special Operations forces. They provide soldiers and armament crews with greater range of threat detection and wider field of view.
The variety of DRS's uncooled infrared sensors ensures availability to international militaries. The company's thermal weapon sights product line also is applicable to homeland defense initiatives supporting first responders and government customs and border control/protection agencies, in addition to private security companies, domestic law enforcement agencies, and for applications where the protection of high-value assets and critical infrastructure from terrorist threats are priorities.
DRS has recently expanded production facilities and operations in Florida and Dallas to meet the continuing and growing demand for more of these critically needed systems and will be producing and delivering in excess of 1,000 systems per month by the end of the year.
