Italian Leonardo’s U.S. defense unit has received an $89 million contract to produce advanced infrared weapon sights for the U.S. Army.
The follow-on delivery order is part of an existing Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract to supply soldiers with the Family of Weapon Sight-Individual (FWS-I) technology, according to a company news release.
The Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical Infrared Systems business is currently in production of the advanced, uncooled, FWS-I technology. FWS-I is a stand-alone, clip-on weapon sight that connects wirelessly to helmet-mounted vision systems including ENVG III, ENVG-B and the next-gen 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, significantly increasing survivability and lethality margins on the battlefield.
“We are proud to provide this state-of-the-art system to help ensure our soldiers are able to overmatch the enemy on current or future battlefields,” said Jerry Hathaway, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical Infrared Systems business. “We have a long history of supplying the Army with advanced EOIR technologies, and this award demonstrates that our customers know soldiers are getting the best product to ensure their mission is accomplished,” he said.
Production of the Family of Weapon Sight-Individual will be in the company’s Electro-Optical Infrared Systems facility Melbourne, Florida. Work is expected to continue through 2023.