The US Army has awarded a $579-million contract to Leonardo DRS for its advanced thermal weapon sights which give soldiers quick target acquisition capabilities.
The company is required to produce its next-generation Family of Weapons Sights – Individual (FWS-I) systems within five years.
“We have a long history of supplying the Army with advanced Electro-Optic and Infrared technologies, and this award will help to keep soldiers safe and better ensure their mission is accomplished,” Senior Vice President Jerry Hathaway said.
‘Uncompromising Performance’
Leonardo’s FWS-I is an advanced clip-on infrared weapon sight with an accurate day view optic capability that “eliminates the need for rebore sighting.”
The portable system integrates a lightweight and modular construction with thermal imaging technology, allowing for increased survivability in various operations and conditions.
It can be wirelessly connected to helmet-mounted vision systems such as Enhanced Night Vision Goggle – Binoculars or the Integrated Visual Augmentation System goggles.
FWS-I can maintain “uncompromising high-performance” day or night and in smoke or fog environments.
“At the core of the FWS-I lies decades of experience in the uncooled infrared weapon systems field,” Leonardo said.
“The sight employs a proprietary high sensitivity vanadium oxide (VOx) focal plane array (FPA). The IR FPA requires no visible light to operate and will not shut down or create glare when exposed to direct light.”