Leonardo DRS, Inc. (“DRS”) announced today that it has received a contract to produce its next-generation thermal weapon sights for the U.S. Army. The firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Army Contracting Command is valued at $579 million over five years. At the core of the technology is decades of Leonardo DRS experience in the uncooled thermal weapon systems field. The FWS-I employs a proprietary vanadium oxide micro-electromechanical focal plane array that requires no visible light to operate. The contract was originally awarded on April 28, 2022.
“We are proud to continue to provide this cutting-edge technology that ensures our soldiers will have the most advanced weapon sight systems on the battlefield today, and well into the future. We have a long history of supplying the Army with advanced Electro-Optic and Infrared (EOIR) technologies, and this award will help to keep soldiers safe and better ensure their mission is accomplished,” said Jerry Hathaway, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical Infrared Systems business.
The Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical Infrared Systems (EOIS) business will produce advanced Family of Weapons Sights – Individual (FWS-I) systems for its U.S. Army customer. Using DRS’ uncooled thermal imaging technology, FWS-I is a stand-alone, clip-on weapon sight that connects wirelessly to helmet-mounted vision systems including the enhanced night vision goggle binoculars (ENVG-B) and the next-gen integrated visual augmentation system (IVAS) and provides rapid target acquisition capabilities to the soldier. It gives users the ability to acquire targets day or night and in smoke or fog, which provides strategic and tactical advantages to the soldier.
The Leonardo DRS EOIS business is part of the advanced sensing and computing segment, which has an extensive installed base across the U.S. military. Advanced Sensing technology is a key strategic focus for Leonardo DRS as the company integrates its world-leading sensing and computing technologies for the men and women of the U.S. armed forces. Production of the Family of Weapon Sight-Individual will be in the company’s Electro-Optical Infrared Systems facility Melbourne, Florida.
