BAE Awarded $123M for Thermal Weapon Sights
LEXINGTON, Mass., Sept. 7, 2010 — BAE Systems received a $123 million contract from the US Army for continued production of thermal weapon sights (TWS) that improve situational awareness and survivability for men and women in combat.
![](https://www.photonics.com/images/Web/Articles/2010/9/7/BIZ_BAE_Systems.jpg)
Developed in partnership with the US Army, PEO Solider, BAE Systems’ light, medium and heavy thermal weapon sights (TWS) provide soldiers with day and night advantages in detecting, observing and engaging hostile targets, independent of darkness and common obscurants used for visual concealment. (Photo: Business Wire).
The order—the most recent under a five-year, indefinite-delivery and indefinite-quantity contract—increases the company’s TWS contract value to greater than $1 billion since 2004.
The global defense, security and aerospace company’s electronics technology is used on rifles, machine guns and mounted weapon systems.
Additionally, the company recently received a $14 million multi-year contract to provide the same sights to the Canadian Army.
Using its MicroIR uncooled infrared sensor technology to generate infrared imagery, the TWS allow operators of individual and crew-served weapons to see deep into the battlefield in darkness and through smoke, fog and other obscurants. In addition, it helps the operator to detect and identify targets at longer ranges.
The sights complement current and future infantry armaments which enable users to overmatch the enemy in all conditions, day or night, said the company.
For more information, visit: www.baesystems.com
/Buyers_Guide/BAE_Systems_Sensor_Solutions/c1448
Published: September 2010
Glossary
- fog
- 1. A term used to describe the clouded appearance of an incompletely polished surface that scatters light. 2. The accumulation of moisture on an optical surface. 3. The extra spectral blackening of a photographic emulsion.
- infrared
- Infrared (IR) refers to the region of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths longer than those of visible light, but shorter than those of microwaves. The infrared spectrum spans wavelengths roughly between 700 nanometers (nm) and 1 millimeter (mm). It is divided into three main subcategories:
Near-infrared (NIR): Wavelengths from approximately 700 nm to 1.4 micrometers (µm). Near-infrared light is often used in telecommunications, as well as in various imaging and sensing...
- sensor
- 1. A generic term for detector. 2. A complete optical/mechanical/electronic system that contains some form of radiation detector.
- target
- 1. The anode or anticathode of an x-ray tube that emits x-rays when bombarded by electrons. 2. The screen in a television imaging tube that is scanned by an electron beam to determine the charge-density stored on it.
aerospaceAmericasarmamentBAE SysetmsbattlefieldBusinessCanadian Armycontractdefenseelectronics technologyFOGImaginginfantryinfraredinfrared imageryinfrared sensorIRmachine gunsMicroIRmounted weaponsmulti-year contractobscurantOpticsriflessecuritysensorSensors & Detectorssmoketargetthermal weapon sightsTWSuncooled infrared sensorUS Armyweapon