To aid the U.S. Army’s Delivering Unmatched Thermal Capability Hastened (DUTCH) initiative, Leonardo DRS Inc. was contracted by the DEVCOM C5ISR Center to develop affordable uncooled infrared (IR) thermal imaging technology for crewed and uncrewed platforms.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies supports the DUTCH initiative, and the uncooled imaging will support a range of applications, including night-vision systems, targeting, and weapon sights. DRS provides expertise and experience in advanced detector, camera-core, and system technologies with the capabilities to mass-produce practical solutions (see image above) with reduced size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C). 

Regarding uncooled IR thermal imaging for crewed and uncrewed systems, Jerry Hathaway, senior vice-president and general manager of Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems business unit, explained, “DRS is committed to meeting the rapidly growing demand for high-performance thermal imaging solutions across the defense enterprise.”

Hathaway added, “Our selection for the DUTCH initiative reflects the depth of our uncooled IR technology portfolio, our understanding of operational needs, and our ability to transition advanced sensing capabilities into scalable production.”