The U.S. Army has awarded a contract to a U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems Plc to create a headset that merges night vision and thermal imaging technology.
The company has received an initial $35 million award to develop the product, called Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III and Family of Weapon Sight-Individual (ENVG III/FWS-I), in Hudson, New Hampshire.
Soldiers generally depend on two separate devices to use the different technologies, which is cumbersome and dangerous on the battlefield.
“On today’s battlefield, this slower approach, which is often further hampered by heavy smoke or bad weather, compromises soldiers’ safety and can reduce mission effectiveness,” BAE Systems said in a statement. “By integrating night vision and thermal targeting capabilities into one sight displayed on the soldiers’ goggles, BAE Systems’ new solution allows troops to more easily acquire targets and engage faster.”
The wireless technology used in the end product will eliminate the need for aiming lasers, result in a shorter engagement time, and increased a soldier’s maneuverability, Military.com reported Monday.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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