Leonardo DRS wins contracts up to $800m for US DoD’s EO/IR programmes

Defence contractor Leonardo DRS has won a number of contracts up to $800m for different electro-optical / infrared (EO/IR) programmes under the US Department of Defense (DoD).

The company has received a firm-fixed-price contract from the US Army for the production of lightweight laser designator Rangefinder 3, which is a next-generation lightweight precision laser targeting system that enables forward observers to hit precision-guided munitions onto targets.

Worth up to $231m, the indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract will continue for a period of ten years.

As part of the $800m worth awards, Leonardo DRS has also secured an IDIQ contract to supply advanced infrared components for the horizontal technology integration second-generation forward-looking infrared (FLIR) solution used by the US Army’s ground vehicle sighting systems.

The system enables crew members of the armoured vehicles to have a clear view, irrespective of light level, adverse weather conditions and battlefield smoke and dust.

With an initial value of $30m, the contract has the provision to reach up to a total value of $435m if all options are exercised.

Valued at $44m, another follow-on contract delivery order was awarded to the company by the US Army for the production and fielding of its advanced, uncooled, infrared Family of Weapon Sights-Individual (FWS-I) thermal weapon sight.

Furthermore, Leonardo received an award from the US Army Contracting Command for the delivery of stabilised infrared camera sensors, known as the Integrated Vision System (IVS), for the service’s assault breaching vehicles.

The IDIQ award is valued up to $19.8m with the initial purchase of $4.6m.

In addition to the US Army contracts, the company received a IDIQ contract extension, worth up to $69.07m, from the US Navy’s Naval Surface Warfare Center to produce the Improved Night Observation Device (INOD) Block III thermal weapon sight for components of the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and Marine snipers.

Leonardo DRS EOIR Business Unit vice-president and general manager Shawn Black said: “We are proud to provide these state-of-the-art systems to help ensure our soldiers are able to overmatch the enemy on current or future battlefields.”