The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $65 million contract for the continued 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.
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.