BAE Systems Begins Producing U.S. Army’s Newest Thermal Weapon Sights

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The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a $13.5 million order to begin producing the new Family of Weapon Sights-Individual (FWS-I) thermal weapon sight for soldiers. Under the low rate initial production award, the company will deliver more than 100 weapon sight systems as 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) program.

“These advanced weapon sights will allow soldiers to conduct surveillance and acquire targets in any light or weather conditions, increasing mission safety and effectiveness,” said Marc Casseres, director of Imaging and Aiming Solutions at BAE Systems. “This production order means that soldiers are one step closer to receiving this mission-critical technology for use in-theater.”

The BAE Systems-developed FWS-I solution integrates the company’s first-to-market 12-mircon technology, which helps make its offering smaller and lighter while providing superior image quality. The uncooled infrared thermal weapon sight allows soldiers to clearly view targets at more than 1,000 meters away. The clip-on sight can be mounted on an M4 carbine, M16A4 rifle, M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, M136 AT4 rifle, or M141 Bunker Defeat. It can also seamlessly connect with the ENVG III for increased survivability and lethality.

When combined with the ENVG III system, BAE Systems’ FWS-I and Rapid Target Acquisition (RTA) Module solution can greatly reduce target engagement time. The innovative RTA solution uses a wireless connection to integrate the weapon sight view directly into the soldier’s goggle so targets can be quickly located and engaged from any carry position, without needing to raise the weapon to the eye. This allows soldiers to accurately engage targets while still maintaining full cover.

The new production order comes on the heels of the Army’s declaration that the system is ready for Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP). The decision, known as “Milestone C,” was approved following the successful conclusion of a series of rigorous contractor- and government-led field testing events. BAE Systems’ ENVG III, FWS-I, and RTA Module are on display this week at this year’s AUSA Exposition in Washington, D.C.