BAE awarded contract for TWS technology

LEXINGTON, Mass., Oct. 21 (UPI) -- BAE Systems has received a contract order from the U.S. Army for the company's weapon-mounted thermal sight technology.

The Army awarded British company BAE a $66 million follow-on deal for the delivery of the company's thermal weapon sights. The award adds to a previous Army contract for the TWS technology, bringing the total value to more than $400 million.

The TWS units, mounted on rifles and machine guns, among other weapons deployed by the Army, offer a soldier increased situational awareness and the ability to target possible enemies deep into the battlefield, regardless of poor lighting conditions.

"This award will provide urgently needed thermal weapon sights to men and women in the field," Bruce Zukauskas, BAE Systems director of thermal weapon sight programs, said in a statement.

"It paves the way for advances in developing the next-generation sights and will ultimately deliver lighter, smaller, less expensive sights to those who need them most."