Leonardo DRS has received a $63 million production order from the U.S. Army for its next-generation family of Weapon Sights, Individual, better known as FWS-I. The order sits under the Army's existing indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for advanced, battlefield-proven thermal weapon sight systems supporting dismounted soldiers. Let’s take a closer look at what this sight does. The interesting part is not the thermal sight itself but where the image ends up. FWS-I is a lightweight, uncooled thermal imaging system designed to wirelessly integrate with soldier-worn vision devices, including the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binocular (ENVG-B) and the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS). The soldier sees the weapon sight's thermal picture inside the helmet-mounted display, which means a target can be acquired without shouldering the rifle at all. Anyone who has tried to clear a corner or shoot from an awkward position will understand why that matters, and it lets the soldier keep their head up and their situational awareness intact in the process. The case for thermal at the dismounted level keeps getting stronger. Adversaries are using more sophisticated concealment and operating in low-visibility conditions, and a thermal sight picks up heat signatures where camouflage, lighting or weather defeat ordinary observation. Urban terrain, dense foliage, smoke, fog and darkness all fall into that category, at close range and at distance. On the hardware side, FWS-I uses uncooled infrared technology, so there is no cryogenic cooling to maintain, which keeps the sight rugged and simpler to support in the field. The clip-on design gives flexibility across multiple weapon platforms rather than tying the sight to one rifle, and the wireless link to soldier-worn systems is meant to deliver speed and accuracy without costing mobility. John Baylouny, president and chief executive officer of Leonardo DRS, frames the award as the Army's continued focus on advanced sensing, connected soldier systems and mission-ready capability, with the goal of giving soldiers information without adding unnecessary complexity. Jerry Hathaway, senior vice president and general manager of Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical Infrared Systems, adds that the combination of uncooled thermal imaging and soldier-worn display integration is aimed at improving target acquisition and situational awareness for dismounted soldiers. Weapon Sights-Individual - Leonardo DRS FWS-I specifications:Detector: 640 x 480 uncooled VOx focal plane array, 17 µm pitchInfrared band: 7 to 14 µm (LWIR)Human recognition: greater than 950 mWide field of view: 18 degrees horizontal x 13.5 degrees verticalNarrow field of view: 6 degrees horizontal x 4.5 degrees verticalSystem magnification: 1X to 3XDisplay: monochrome black and white, white hot or black hot polarityTime to operate: under 6 seconds from power onDimensions (L x W x H): 12.9 x 8.0 x 8.2 cm (5 x 3.22 x 3.15 in)Weight with batteries: 525 g (1.16 lb)Power: three L91 AA lithium batteriesVideo output: USB digital video outMounting: Picatinny MIL-STD-1913, NATO/STANAGWeapon platforms: M4, M16A4, AT4Operating temperature: -40 to +49 °C (-40 to +120 °F)Storage temperature: -46 to +71 °C (-51 to +160 °F)Moisture resistance: immersible to 1 m of waterMaintenance: external cleaning onlyAccessories: soft case, lens cover, lens cleaning kit, operator’s manual, quick reference card, clip-on weapon shroud, stand-alone eyecup, weapon mount adapter, tethered remote, riser$63 million U.S. Army production order, under an existing IDIQ contract Is the ability to aim through a helmet display without shouldering the rifle a genuine advantage, or a solution in search of a problem?Source: Leonardo DRS Strengthens Dismounted Soldier Modernization With $63 Million FWS-I Production OrderIf this post has you ready to hit the range, head over to gunranges.com - a free directory to help you find shooting ranges near you, wherever you are in the United States.