The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $65 million contract to continue modernization of the Apache helicopter's Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) system. The total contract value includes the $22 million base, plus options.
Under the Phase II, four-year, fixed-price contract, Lockheed Martin will finish modernizing the Apache's legacy Day Sensor Assembly (DSA) and associated electronics.
"The Modernized DSA replaces vintage 30-year-old hardware -- addressing obsolescence, reliability, and capability gaps," says U.S. Army Apache Sensors product manager Lt. Col. John Vannoy. "These improvements will make the Apache a more lethal and survivable aircraft on the battlefield well into the future."
M-DSA includes upgrades to the multi-mode laser rangefinder/designator, visible color sensor, laser spot tracker, inertial measurement unit, modernized day sensor structure assembly and a potential for future laser pointer marker compatibility. This modification resolves obsolescence issues and supports improvements in sustainability and maintainability, enabling two-level maintenance (compatible with M-TADS/PNVS Performance Based Logistics). M-DSA also increases reliability by enhancing M-TADS/PNVS mean time between failure rates.
"M-DSA will expand the M-TADS/PNVS' ability to fully accommodate future weapons, providing a tremendous capability to our Warfighters for many years to come," says Matt Hoffman, M-DSA program manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
Fielded since 2005, the M-TADS/PNVS, also known as Arrowhead, provides Apache pilots advanced pilotage and targeting capability when conducting day, night and adverse-weather missions.
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