Seiler Instrument and Manufacturing Co., Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $23,475,982 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for M119A1 Light Towed Howitzer panoramic telescopes. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Feb. 26, 2026, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan.
The M119 howitzer is the US designation for the L118 light gun, a lightweight British 105 mm howitzer also used by the United States Army. It can be easily airlifted by helicopter, or dropped by parachute. It is manufactured by the Rock Island Arsenal-Joint Manufacturing and Technology Centre (RIA-JMTC) under joint US/RO (Royal Ordnance) partnerships. The M119 was first deployed in the 7th Infantry Division, Fort Ord in December 1989. The M119 can fire all standard Nato 105mm ammunition including the M1 high explosive rounds, M913 high explosive rocket-assisted shells, M314 illuminating star shell and M60/M60A2 white phosphorous smoke cartridge.
Seiler is the Original Equipment Manufacturer for the optical fire control used on all United States howitzer and mortar systems. This includes the manufacture of telescope mounts, periscope mounts, aiming circles, fire control quadrants, and more. The Seiler’s M137A2/A3 Panoramic Telescope is a 4-power, 10-degree field of view instrument with mechanical counter devices. The reticle and all counters are self-illuminated by lithium batteries. The M137 is mounted to the M171 Telescope Mount and is used in laying and orienting the howitzer on an azimuth of fire. The M137 Panoramic Telescopes are used with the M777, M198 and M119 howitzers as well as many older howitzer models.
Seiler Instrument is a contract manufacturer of complex instruments, machined parts, assemblies, and subassemblies. Optical instruments have been a Seiler family tradition since 1913 when company founder Eric H. Seiler entered the Zeiss School of Fine Optics in Jena, Germany. In addition, Seiler is a distributor of surveying software and instruments, microscopes, and Zeiss Planetarium equipment. Seiler Instrument consists of 5 main divisions including Manufacturing, Geospatial, Medical, and Planetarium. Seiler’s corporate headquarters is located in St. Louis, Missouri, with additional Geospatial sales offices in Indianapolis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Omaha, and Chicago.
