Family of Weapons Sights – Individual (FWS-I). (Photo: US Army)
US Army Contracting Command has awarded two five-year deals for the Family of Weapons Sights – Individual (FWS-I).
The DoD announced contracts for DRS Network & Imaging Systems ($579.29 million) and Teledyne FLIR ($500.22 million) on 28 April.
‘Work locations and funding will be determined with each order,’ the DoD added.
Along with the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle - Binocular (ENVG-B), FWS-I is intended to provide US Army troops with the most advanced night vision equipment available.
FWS-I, which would be mounted on a soldier's weapon, wirelessly transmits its sight picture to the helmet-worn ENVG-B. It allows soldiers to see through fog, dust, and smoke, in both day and night environments.
The family of sights is compatible with a range of infantry weapons such as the M16 rifle, M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, the M141 Bunker Defeat Munition, and the M136 AT4 Light Anti-Tank Weapon.
It can be mounted in front of day sights that have already been bore-sighted. Soldiers carrying rifles can add or remove the FWS-I without having to remove their day sights first.
FWS-I was designed with end-user input in a collaborative effort with Program Executive Office - Soldier and the Soldier Lethality Cross Functional Team, using soldier feedback early in the development process to inform design.
Ukraine has highlighted the need for howitzers and radars as well as artillery and this commitment from Sweden will help to fill that gap and provide medium-distance fire in a defensive role post-war.
The armoured vehicles are fitted with 12.7mm heavy machine guns and came off the production line with specific Estonian requirements. Only the communications subsystems and some other minor equipment were added to vehicles in Estonia.
The newly disclosed Thales UK Vehicle Mounted SquadNet Radio (VMSR) offers full interoperability with the soldier radio variant to provide secure and reliable voice connection.
Full electrification of their land and air vehicles may be beyond modern militaries for now. But how close are they to the tipping point of the widespread use of electric vehicles?
The contract follows news released in 2023 that a first customer had taken into service Pearson Engineering’s new Slice system enabling the interoperability of Front-End Equipment (FEE) between main battle tanks and dedicated engineering vehicles.
When compared to some other wheeled artillery systems Archer has the advantage of quicker deployment and relocation as the complete fire mission is carried out without the crew leaving the protected cab at the front.
Connect with us on socials
