Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $60 million production contract for the Arrowhead or Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) for the AH-64D Apache attack helicopter.
This contract is for 23 Arrowhead kits for the National Guard along with the U.S. Government and also includes Foreign Military Sales (FMS) support and spares. Another 46 systems and delivery of spares to the U.S. Army along with an unnamed FMS customer are optionally included in the contract. The value of the contract could go up to $290 million inclusive of all the options and base. This Lot 8 contract would carry on production for the base requirements till August 2013 and if all the options are awarded can go up to January 2015.
According to Lt. Col. Steve Van Riper, who is the Product Manager for the U.S. Army Apache Sensors, Lot 8 would symbolize the sustained partnership with Lockheed Martin and would also supply the Arrowhead upgrades, which would go together with the conversion of AH-64A to the AH-64D Longbow National Guard battalions. The AH64-D aviators would get a combat-proven sensing capacity, which would be of immense help to the soldiers and their international allies.
The Arrowhead kit would refurbish the TADS/PNVS by improving the infrared sensors along with the associated electronics. The Apache pilots get superior electro-optical, long-range precision capacities, which would ensure safety during the flights at day, night or even during unfavorable weather conditions.
Matt Hoffman, who is Lockheed Martin’s Arrowhead Program Director, has commented that the Arrowhead system has shown advanced operational performance and is capable of saving lives. The company had given the first Arrowhead kit in May 2005 to the U.S. Army and finished integrating it on the Apache helicopter in the month June 2005.
Source: http://www.lockheedmartin.com