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Leonardo DRS has received a contract from the U.S. Army to produce advanced infrared machinegun weapon sights with automatic targeting. This is the second contract awarded to Leonardo DRS by the U.S. Army for the Family of Weapon Sight-Crew Served (FWS-CS).
Valued at $18.9m, the contract is for the low-rate initial production phase.
Leonardo DRS will be the sole producer of the advanced, uncooled, FWS-CS. The FWS-CS system automatically calculates the target hit location, allowing the user to increase the probability of hitting the first burst of rounds on target. The advanced technology uses a state-of-the-art ballistic computer to operate in various environmental conditions to automatically calculate and provide the gunner with a target hit point.
The complete FWS-CS system includes the weapon sight, wireless remote, and wireless helmet-mounted display. The system integrates a high-resolution 10um high-definition thermal focal plane array, color day camera, laser range finder and ballistic solution calculator to auto-adjust reticles for range and environmental conditions, allowing users to fire the weapon precisely with the disturbed reticle technology.
“We are excited to partner with our customer and bring this advanced technology to crew-served weapons giving mounted soldiers an extensive advantage on the battlefield,” said Doug Ransom, Vice President of Business Development.
“We are proud of our long legacy of advanced EO/IR battlefield technology that allowed us to develop this first optic to use disturbed reticle technology.”
The FWS-CS communicates on the inter-soldier wireless network protocols using the ultra-wideband link. This capability allows the squad leader wireless capability to check their gunner’s sight picture.
It can be used as a weapon-mounted sensor used for surveillance and enhanced target engagement of crew served weapons during daylight, darkness, adverse weather, and austere battlefield conditions. The mounted operator can detect and recognize targets at greater distances than their crew served weapon system’s maximum effective range.
Production of the FWS-CS will be in the company’s Electro-Optical Infrared Systems facility Melbourne, Florida.
