DRS Technologies, Inc, PARSIPPANY: DRS Technologies, Inc. announced today that it has received a $139 million contract to provide Improved Bradley Acquisition Subsystems (IBAS) for the U.S. Army's Bradley Combat System program.
The Bradley Fighting Vehicles are among the most formidable ground force capabilities in U.S. Army inventory and continue to be an integral part of military operations in Iraq. The IBAS enables vehicle gunners to detect, identify and engage tactical targets at dramatically greater operational ranges, increasing ground force survivability and target lethality.
The contract was awarded to DRS by BAE Systems, the prime contractor for the development and production of the Bradley vehicles. DRS, as the prime contractor of the IBAS to BAE Systems, will produce, test and provide support services for over 400 systems for the Bradley A3, which include the Target Acquisition Subsystem (TAS) and Missile Control Subsystem (MCS). This order also will include DRS's new Mono Block Laser Range Finder, as well as the U.S. Army Block 1 B-Kit, a Second Generation Forward Looking Infrared (SG FLIR) system developed as part of the Army's Horizontal Technology Integration (HTI) initiative.
Work for this award will be accomplished by the company's DRS Optronics unit in Palm Bay, Florida. Product deliveries are expected to commence in July and conclude in June 2007.
“This award builds on our reputation as a proven, world-class fire control systems producer, highlights our customer's regard for our strong, long-term performance on this program and introduces DRS's new Mono Block Laser Range Finder,” said Fred L. Marion, president of DRS's Surveillance & Reconnaissance Group. “The leading edge sighting system technologies that are being incorporated in the IBAS are critical to the Bradley A3 and provide increased target acquisition, greater stand-off ranges and improved survivability for our ground forces. This latest award underscores DRS's position as a major supplier to the Bradley program and a leader in fire control solutions for Army ground combat platforms.”
The Bradley A3 is the Army's most advanced, integrated digital ground system, providing outstanding survivability, mobility and target lethality to soldiers in all types of close-combat urban scenarios or in open combat desert warfare.
The IBAS enhances lethality through automated ballistics solutions and target tracking software. Using Standard Advanced Dewar Assembly (SADA) II technology, the IBAS incorporates the Army's Block 1 B-Kit, in addition to direct view optics, dual-aided target tracking capability, an eye-safe laser range finder, a daylight television, and a two-axis stabilized pointing head mirror assembly. Other IBAS system improvements include enhanced shoot-on-the-move capability for the Bradley 25mm gun.
DRS Technologies, headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, is a leading supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors worldwide. The company employs approximately 10,000 people.
