Companies downselected for British Army vehicle programme
It is believed that three companies did not make the downselect but a dark horse in Spain’s Iturri is believed to have got through.
BAE Systems has received two orders totalling $97 million from the US Army for night vision goggles and thermal weapon sights, the company announced on 21 March.
The orders are part of a previously announced five-year contract for the army’s Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III and Family of Weapon Sight-Individual (ENVG III/FWS-I) programme.
The ENVG III/FWS-I solution features a rapid target acquisition (RTA) module to greatly reduce target engagement time. The RTA solution uses a wireless connection to transmit the weapon sight’s aim point and surrounding imagery directly into the soldier’s goggle. This enables soldiers to rapidly locate and engage targets from any carry position, without needing to shoulder the weapon, in all weather and lighting conditions, including from covert positions.
Marc Casseres, director of precision guidance and sensing solutions at BAE Systems, said: ‘Aiming to provide the most technically advanced and lightweight solution possible, our goggles allow soldiers to quickly detect and engage targets for a tactical edge.
‘When fully integrated with the FWS-I weapon sight, the combined solution provides superior imagery and a target acquisition capability that can greatly increase mission success and survivability.’
It is believed that three companies did not make the downselect but a dark horse in Spain’s Iturri is believed to have got through.
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The development demonstrates how the platform could provide additional firepower and growth potential while the US Army progresses its long-term replacement for the Bradley.
FNSS and PT Pindad are progressing the Indonesian tracked armoured personnel carrier programme as local production gets under way.
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