with Arrowhead sensor
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Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control received a $142 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for 55 Arrowhead kits for U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopters and kits for several international customers.
Arrowhead is an advanced electro-optical and fire control system that AH-64 Apache helicopter pilots use for combat targeting of their Hellfire missiles and other weapons, as well as safe flight in day, night, or bad weather missions. Arrowhead’s forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensors use advanced image processing techniques to give pilots the best possible resolution to avoid obstacles such as wires and tree limbs during low-level flight.
The 6 Arrowhead contract Lots awarded to Lockheed Martin include…
Lockheed Martin rolled out the first Arrowhead system to the U.S. Army in May 2005 and completed integration on the first Apache helicopters in June 2005. Over 850 systems will have been delivered with the completion of the Lot 6 contract, which extends production through December 2011. Here is a breakdown of the dates, values and quantities of the 6 Lots awarded so far under this contract:
* Lot 1: $260 million for 55 units (awarded Nov 11/03);
* Lot 2: $247 million for 97 units (awarded Jan 26/05);
* Lot 3: $385.6 million for 219 units (awarded June 26/06);
* Lot 4: $311 millon for 158 units (awarded Feb 28/07);
* Lot 5: $172 million for 126 units (awarded April 7/08);
* Lot 6: $142 million for 55 units (awarded July 27/09).
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Arrowhead is also known as the modernized target acquisition designation sight/pilot night vision sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) system, the successor to the TADS/PNVS. The M-TADS/PNVS modular architecture accommodates a field-retrofit from TADS/PNVS to the new configuration on the Apache AH-64.
VNsight is a low-light-level TV integrated into the AH-64 Apache modernized pilot night vision sensor (M-PNVS) and Pathfinder dedicated pilotage sensor (the M-PNVS adapted for cargo and utility aircraft). The additional imaging capability in this wavelength complements the long wave infrared wavelength of the existing M-PNVS sensor. VNsight is in limited production.
An update to the TADS/PNVS day sensor assembly (M-DSA) is in development. M-DSA modernizes the DSA system to enhance performance and increase the system’s ability to accommodate weapons now in production.
A $380 million performance based logistics (PBL) contract was awarded in 2007 for TADS/PNVS and M-TADS/PNVS systems. The PBL contract provides post-production supply chain management, including spares planning, procurement, repairs, maintenance, modifications and inventory management of fielded systems.