Leonardo DRS serves as the sole producer of the FWS-CS system for the US Army. Credit: Leonardo DRS.

Leonardo DRS has received a contract from the US Army to produce advanced infrared (IR) machinegun weapon sights with automatic targeting.

The company will serve as the sole producer of the family of weapon sight-crew served (FWS-CS) system for the US Army.

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Valued at $18.9m, the contract is for the low-rate initial production phase.

The latest firm, fixed-price contract is the second one awarded to Leonardo DRS by the US Army for the family of weapon sight-crew served (FWS-CS).

Comprising the weapon sight, wireless remote, and wireless helmet-mounted display, the FWS-CS system integrates a high-resolution 10um high-definition thermal focal plane array.

It also features a colour day camera, laser range finder and ballistic solution calculator.

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The features allow the users to precisely fire the weapon with the ‘disturbed reticle technology’.

Leonardo DRS Business Development vice-president Doug Ransom said: “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.

“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.”

According to the company, the system automatically calculates the target hit location. This enables the user to enhance the probability of striking the first set of rounds on target.

The technology uses an advanced ballistic computer to operate in different kinds of environmental scenarios.

Leonardo DRS note that the advanced, uncooled, FWS-CS can be used as a weapon-mounted sensor for surveillance and target engagement of crew-served weapons.

Production of the FWS-CS will be in the company’s electro-optical and infrared systems (EOIS) facility in Melbourne, Florida, US.

The Leonardo DRS’ EOIS business is part of the company’s advanced sensors segment.

Last month, Leonardo DRS secured a $204m contract to deliver additional mission equipment packages for M-SHORAD Increment 1 systems.

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