Army taps Teledyne FLIR for electro-optics gear for intelligence and surveillance armored combat vehicle

Summary points:

• Teledyne FLIR wins major contract to upgrade Stryker vehicles with advanced reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.
• New sensor suite delivers 360-degree visibility, thermal imaging, and long-range threat detection for all-weather, day-night missions.
• The Recon Kit converts standard Strykers into M1127 variants equipped for battlefield intelligence and rapid deployment.

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – U.S. Army battlefield reconnaissance experts needed electro-optical equipment to help transform the M1127 Stryker armored personnel carrier into a intelligence and surveillance vehicle. They found a solution from Teledyne FLIR Defense in Wilsonville, Ore.

Officials of the Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., announced a $32.1 million contract to Teledyne FLIR last Thursday for the commercial Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle Recon Kit.

This kit is a configuration and equipment package applied to Stryker armored combat vehicle to transform it into the M1127 Stryker Reconnaissance Vehicle (RV) for battlefield reconnaissance and surveillance missions. The contract includes accessories, and integration.

The Stryker RV offers the Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3) sensor system that provides enhanced observation and target acquisition for Army scout and reconnaissance teams. The Stryker RV variant typically accommodates seven soldiers.

Surveillance vehicle

In addition to surveillance sensors, the Stryker RV has an M2 .50 caliber machine gun and an M240 7.62-millimeter machine gun for self-defense and limited fire support.

The Stryker RV offers rapid deployment, soldier unloading, and movement to observation points for concealment and rapid extraction after reconnaissance operations. It uses the FBCB2 digital communications system for reporting and coordination on the battlefield.

The electro-optics in the Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle Recon Kit include advanced camera and sensor systems that provide all-weather, day-and-night visibility and enhanced reconnaissance. It has the AN/VAS-5 Driver Vision Enhancer (DVE) passive thermal imaging system for driving in darkness, fog, smoke, dust, and rain.

It provides infrared imagery to the driver without emitting detectable light and features a wide field of view, image stabilization, and displays suited for tactical use.

Electro-optics

Other electro-optical gear in the kit include cameras installed around the hull of the vehicle for a near 360-degree view; periscopes for external observation; integrated displays and processing units; remote weapon station optics; and daylight cameras, thermal imagers, and laser rangefinders to support reconnaissance and targeting tasks.

The recon kit also offers networked sensors and displays for rapid information sharing and targeting; and virtual augmentation technologies for closed-hatch full-vehicle surveillance; and long-range threat detection.

On this contract Teledyne FLIR will do the work in Wilsonville, Ore., and should be finished by December 2008. For more information contact Teledyne FLIR Defense online at https://defense.flir.com/, or the Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground at https://acc.army.mil/contractingcenters/acc-apg/.