DRS Technologies Awarded $68.2 Million contract for Thermal Weapon from U.S. Army

DRS Technologies, Inc., a Finmeccanica Company, announced that its Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA) group has been awarded a $68.2 million contract by the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) to provide advanced Thermal Weapon Sights (TWS). As a result of this follow-on order, totals have now reached over $460 million against a five year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded to DRS Technologies in July 2007. The order of the infrared-detecting devices -- which enable soldiers to conduct surveillance and target acquisition, day or night -- includes Light-, Medium- and Heavy-Weapon Thermal Sights from the DRS Thermal Weapon Sights (TWS) II family of systems. Since 2004, RSTA has manufactured and delivered over 50,000 Thermal Weapon Sights. This new award will further expand the military deployment of technology from DRS. DRS Thermal Weapon Sights employ 25-micron uncooled vanadium oxide (VOx) detectors which enable troops to view the battlefield and pinpoint targets clearly through smoke, dust, haze, light fog and total darkness. Regardless of lighting conditions, the DRS Sights detect infrared (heat) waves from people and objects in their field of view and display sharp images from hundreds of meters away.