NEW YORK, April 27 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army has placed an order for devices that will make it easier for vehicle drivers in Iraq to see in adverse conditions.
The $21 million contract awarded to DRS Technologies calls for installation of the New Jersey company's Driver Vision Enhancers (DVE) on a range of Army and Marine Corps tanks and other armored vehicles.
"Our DVEs support the military's objectives for increased mobility, survivability and situational awareness of ground combat operations under adverse conditions," explained Fred Marion, head of DRS' Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group.
DRS said Thursday that deliveries of the units actually began last month and will continue through November 2007.
The DVE is based on DRS's Low-Power Uncooled Infrared detector (LPUIR), which combines thermally compensated optics with a liquid crystal display panel with a sharp 800x600 pixel resolution.
The technology results in the ability of the crew to see what is going on around them despite low light conditions or obscuring dust or smoke. That edge is designed to give U.S. patrols an ability to avoid ambushes and keep track of the locations of other U.S. vehicles and infantry.
The contract calls for the installation of the DVEs aboard M1A1 tanks, Stryker armored vehicles, M113 armored personnel carriers and LAVs (Light-armored vehicles).
