WASHINGTON, DC -- BAE Systems announced at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting & Symposium that it has delivered its 10,000th thermal imager for U.S. Army remote weapon stations, an achievement made possible by a fivefold increase in production capacity for the devices, which are used extensively in current U.S. and NATO operations.

Used on remote weapon stations they allow soldiers to detect and identify enemy targets while remaining inside their vehicles through remotely controlled, vehicle mounted platforms.

The TIM1500™ imagers are used on remote weapon stations and allow soldiers to detect and identify enemy targets while remaining protected inside their vehicles through remotely controlled, vehicle-mounted platforms for light- and medium-caliber weapons. Uncooled thermal sensors are smaller, lighter, use less power, and have lower life-cycle cost than sensors that must be cryogenically cooled to attain the necessary thermal sensitivity.

"BAE Systems' commitment to 'putting more eyes on the battlefield™' to support our soldiers is reflected with our shipping 10,000 imagers," said Michael Mawn, TIM1500 product line manager in Lexington, Massachusetts, where the product is produced. "Demonstrating how BAE Systems is rapidly delivering cost-effective capability to soldiers, our production rate was 20 units a week, which we've increased to more than 100 units a week."

The company increased its production rate in anticipation of growing Army requirements that included deployment of the units on MRAP combat vehicles.

BAE Systems
27.10.2010