Thales to Provide Advanced Soldier Equipment to British Army

The UK has awarded a £150m contract to Thales UK to provide a surveillance and target acquisition (STA) package for its troops under the future integrated soldier technology (FIST) programme.

The new STA package, announced at DSEi 2009, consists of high-performance weapon sights, observation equipment and target location systems that will be used by dismounted forces operating in all enviroments day or night.

The systems are built to reduce weight and benefit the close-comabt effectiveness of troops by improving detection ranges, night-firing options, reducing target location times as well as helping to locate hidden weapons caches and improvised explosives.

"The surveillance and target acquisition package forms the first part of the future integrated soldier technology programme," Davies said

First deliveries are planned for November 2010, with full contract deliveries due to be completed in June 2014.