Business & GA, Military

DRS Scores Helicopter Sights Pact

By Tish Drake | February 21, 2007
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DRS Technologies was awarded a $51 million contract by the U.S. Army to support the manufacturing of Mast Mounted Sights (MMS) installed on OH-58 Kiowa Warrior attack helicopters. DRS, Parsippany, N.J., said it will provide depot repair, spares and field service support for the MMS, as well as post-production, engineering and depot support and engineering change proposals. The contract was awarded to DRS by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala. The work will be done at DRS’s facilities in Melbourne and Palm Bay, Fla. Product deliveries and services are expected to continue through 2008. Installed above the rotors of the helicopter, the MMS incorporates sighting system technologies and provides the helicopter with an improved target acquisition performance, greater stand-off ranges and reconnaissance capabilities. MMS contains a suite of sensors, including a high-resolution television camera for long-range, low-light target detection, an upgraded thermal imaging sensor supporting navigation, target acquisition and designation, a laser rangefinder/designator to provide precise target location and guidance of Hellfire missiles and Copperhead artillery rounds, and a boresight assembly that provides in-flight sensor alignment.

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