DRS Technologies, a Finmeccanica Company, announced that the US Army has awarded its reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA) business unit a $16.5 million contract for enhanced night vision goggles (ENVGs).

Awarded by the US Army’s Project Manager Soldier Sensors and Lasers (PM SSL), the contract is provided through a programme to acquire leadingedge systems to enhance survivability of warfighters.

Prime contractor DRS RSTA and strategic partner L-3 Electro-Optical Systems leveraged complementary capabilities and critical expertise in both of ENVG’s fundamental technologies.

DRS’ infrared imaging technology enables soldiers to see target detail even through heavy obscurants such as sandstorms and fog. L-3’s image intensifier technology enhances laser aiming, mobility and manoeuvring under very low-light conditions.

“The DRS helmet-mounted ENVG system will provide warfighters with unprecedented mobility, situational awareness, threat recognition and targeting accuracy,” said DRS RSTA President Terry Murphy. “We are pleased that the Army has selected the DRS team to produce these mission-critical enhanced night vision goggles.”

The ENVGs use 25 µm, 320 x 240 infrared detectors that are currently fielded on more than 10,000 of the DRS light weapon thermal sights (LWTS), the image intensifier tubes provided by L-3 are fielded on more than 80,000 L-3 AN/PVS-14 night vision goggles. The DRS ENVG will apply extensive image fusion and human factors engineering using expertise gained through government research and development programmes and advanced soldier mobility systems. This expertise is critical because ENVG images will be viewable not only separately, but optically fused in the eyepiece.