Parsippany, NJ -- DRS Technologies, Inc. announced today that it was awarded a $23 million subcontract from Raytheon Company to provide major subsystems for the U.S. Army’s Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3). LRAS3 provides the U.S. Army Brigade Reconnaissance Troops, Armor and Infantry Battalion Scout Platoons, and the Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCT) with a long-range detection, recognition, identification and far-target location capability.

The contract was received by DRS from Raytheon Company’s Network Centric Systems business in McKinney, Texas. The company’s DRS Optronics unit in Palm Bay, Florida, will perform all work associated with the award at its state-of-the-art electro-optical design and production facilities. Product deliveries are expected to commence this April and continue through May 2006. Including the latest award, DRS has received approximately $110 million in orders on the LRAS3 program.

Bridging the gap between currently fielded systems and the U.S. Army’s Future Combat System (FCS), LRAS3 provides heavy battalion, Light Cavalry Squadron and Stryker Brigade Combat Team Scouts with the capability to conduct 24-hour surveillance and reconnaissance missions at safe distances and operate well outside the direct-fire range of detected threats.

"As a market leader of Second Generation infrared ground vehicle sighting, targeting and detection systems, DRS plays a crucial role in the Army’s Horizontal Technology Integration initiative and its modernization strategy," said Fred L. Marion, president of DRS’s Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group. "The LRAS3 program remains a key component of our DRS ground vehicle systems product line."

LRAS3 provides precise far-target location by incorporating advanced Second Generation Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) technology, a global positioning interferometer, an eye-safe laser range finder and a day video camera. Deployed on the Army’s M1025/M1114 HMMWV reconnaissance vehicles in their mounted configuration, the system also can be used on tripods for dismounted missions.

The M1025 and M1114 HMMWV Scouts are forward deployed to provide commanders with 24-hour battlefield reconnaissance and surveillance and to assist the missions of heavy battalions in remote areas with rough terrain under difficult conditions. The mission of the SBCT is to conduct effective combat operations, including preventing, containing, stabilizing and resolving conflicts in major theater warfare.

Patricia M. Williamson
03.05.2005

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