DRS Technologies, Inc. announced that it has received approximately $76 million in new orders to produce next-generation Thermal Weapon Sights II (TWS II) for U.S. Army ground force applications.

DRS received the new orders from the U.S. Army's Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) acquisition center in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, acting on behalf of Program Executive Office Soldier. For these orders, DRS will produce Light, Medium and Heavy Thermal Weapon Sights, which will utilize the company's uncooled infrared technology. Work for this contract will be accomplished by the company's DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems - Optronics Division and Infrared Technologies Division. Product deliveries will be in excess of 1,600 Light, 3,900 Medium and 2,000 Heavy Thermal Weapon Sights.

This order is part of a competitively secured five-year contract awarded to DRS in March 2004. The contract has a total potential value of $375 million, including options.

As an industry leader in uncooled, high-performance, thermal imaging systems, the TWS II produced by DRS are contributing immediately to the military's current and future force objectives. The urgency and demand for TWS II by commanders continues to increase significantly. Improving soldiers' surveillance, targeting and combat effectiveness 24 hours a day, in zero illumination and in obscurants, such as fog, smoke, dust and sand storms, DRS's TWS II is optimized to place increased lethality in the hands of individual war fighters and enhances their survivability on the open and urban battlefields.

The DRS family of Light, Medium and Heavy TWS II use advanced uncooled thermal imaging sensors that currently support the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Special Operations forces. They provide soldiers and armament crews with greater range of threat detection and wider field of view at a reduced cost. Offering superior image quality, greater battery life, soldier-friendly ease of use and lightweight, these sights better equip war fighters to see the battlefield under vision-obscured conditions and engage the enemy. The Light TWS produced by DRS will mount onto M4, M16 and M136 assault rifles; the Medium TWS will operate on M249 and M240B Squad Automatic Weapons; and the Heavy TWS will operate on M2, M107, MK19, M24, M4/M16 Sniper Weapon Systems.

The variety of DRS's uncooled infrared sensors ensures availability to international militaries, as well. The company's thermal weapon sights product line also is applicable to homeland defense initiatives supporting first responders and government customs and border control/protection agencies, in addition to private security companies, domestic law enforcement agencies, and for applications where the protection of high-value assets and critical infrastructure from terrorist threats are priorities.

Sergyi Way
07.11.2006

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