Lockheed Martin Brings Color To Helicopters With Multi-Million-Dollar Contract

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $54.3 million contract by the United States Army to upgrade the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TDAS/PNVS) on their AH-64E Apache helicopters.

The upgrade will give Apache helicopter pilots better vision in both daytime and nighttime conditions, thus improving mission success. With this contract, the world's largest defense corporation will manufacture thirty-five M-DSA kits and spares for the US Army and the Qatar Emirati Air Force. The total value cap is set at $130.6 million through the Modernized Day Sensor Assembly (M-DSA) Phase 2 Lot 1 contract award.

These improvements to the chopper are necessary, as they expect it to be active for decades to come. The modifications ensure it will still have top technological capabilities, even as it gets up there in age.

These enhancements enable faster situational understanding for aircrews and more accurate coordination with ground troops, said Matt Hoffman, M-TADS/PNVS director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. With the Apache expected to be in service through 2045, we're continuing to invest in sensor upgrades, such as the M-DSA, to ensure aircrews have the capabilities they need to address emerging threats.

Pilots will now be able to identify targets from farther away with the help of the M-DSA Phase 2 upgrade. The color display will be much clearer, and be able to view potential targets with picture-in-picture capability. In addition, they will also be provided a laser pointer marker and a multi-mode laser that comes with eye-safe leasing capability.

All production will take place in Orlando and Ocala, Florida, at Lockheed Martin's facilities. It is scheduled to be completed in March 2019. To date, the have delivered over 1,300 M-TADS/PNVS to armed forces all over the world.

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