US Army Invests $56M in Raytheon and DRS for Cutting-Edge Infrared Night Vision Technology
The U.S. Army has awarded a substantial contract of $56 million to a collaboration between Raytheon Company and DRS Technologies. This funding is directed towards the engineering, manufacturing, and development of the 3rd Generation Forward Looking Infrared B-Kit. This significant upgrade in night vision technology will empower ground troops to differentiate between ally and adversary at twice the existing systems’ range.
The innovative B-Kit is designed as a form/fit upgrade. It provides an affordable and low-risk enhancement for over 17,000 currently deployed 2nd generation ground FLIR systems. Duane Gooden, Vice President of Raytheon Land Warfare Systems, states, “With decades of expertise in delivering high-performance night vision solutions to the U.S. Army, our team is exceptionally qualified to ensure combat superiority for our ground forces. The Third Gen FLIR will significantly extend the range of ground combat vehicle sensors across all conditions, enabling our troops to detect and neutralize threats effectively.”
This four-year engineering, manufacturing, and development contract includes provision for the delivery of B-Kit systems tailored for platform system integration and testing. Additionally, a two-year option is available to produce extra systems for extended testing capabilities.
Over the past decade, Raytheon has successfully delivered more than 20,000 2nd generation FLIR sensors to the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Foreign Military Sales customers. The upcoming Third Gen FLIR will enhance battlefield capabilities by providing ground forces with four fields of view, dual-band infrared imaging, and advanced stabilization, resulting in remarkable improvements in range performance.
