Snipers and special forces members of the Australian Army can now employ thermal weapon sights for higher accuracy. Using Improved Night/Day Observation Device (INOD) Block III thermal weapon sights from Leonardo DRS, Inc., provided under the LAND 159 Tranche program, military users can employ these clip-on thermal weapons to focus on targets in low-light and degraded visual conditions. The sights are mounted in front of existing direct-view optics components and are capable of as much as 25× improvement in target magnification (see figure). 

Jerry Hathaway, senior vice-president and general manager of Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems business unit, noted: “Completing delivery and training for the Australian Army is an important milestone for our team.” Hathaway explained that the additional training helped attain optimum benefits from the sights: “The INOD Block III provides a thermal sighting capability intended to support sniper operations in demanding conditions, and the training helps ensure personnel are prepared to operate and maintain the system.” 

The infrared (IR) sights are powered by lithium batteries with hot-swap change capability to enable continuous operation in the field. They can also operate from external power sources. The sights feature a 640 × 480 focal plane array to generate thermal imagery, with remote control and a rear-facing knob providing adjustment of focus. The prime contractor for the LAND 159 Tranche 1 program is Australian defense company NIOA.