DRS Technologies Captures $26.3 Million Contract to Produce Infrared Detectors for U.S. Army Ground Vehicles

    PARSIPPANY, N.J.--May 7, 2001--DRS Technologies, Inc. (AMEX: DRS) announced today that it has received a not-to-exceed contract valued at $26.3 million, including options, to produce advanced infrared detectors for the tracking and imaging systems on a variety of military platforms, including the U.S. Army's M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, considered the most advanced ground combat vehicles in existence.
    For the initial $6.3 million award, DRS will produce additional Standard Advanced Dewar Assemblies Type II (SADA II) for the Army's Horizontal Technology Integration (HTI) B-Kit systems, which provide infrared imaging capabilities on several ground vehicle platforms. The contract was awarded to the company by the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Work for this award will be accomplished by the company's DRS Infrared Technologies unit in Dallas, Texas. Product deliveries will extend through August 2002. SADA II is used in the HTI Second Generation Forward Looking Infrared (HTI SGF) Thermal Imaging System, also produced by the company.
    "The leading edge technology of SADA II contributes to the strategic responsiveness, forward engagement and force projection capabilities of the U.S. Army," said Mark S. Newman, chairman, president and chief executive officer of DRS Technologies. "The SADA II program has positioned DRS as a primary U.S. Army supplier of high-performance infrared detectors and an industry leader in advanced focal plane array technology for the defense electronics marketplace. This technology is key to missions involving deterrence, protection, maneuver and strike. SADA II and other HTI SGF programs supported by DRS remain central to the Army's modernization strategy and its goal to dominate the expanded battle space in the 21st century."
    DRS has delivered more than 500 SADA II assemblies since the program's inception. SADA II uses DRS's critical Second Generation Forward Looking Infrared (Gen II FLIR) technology to target threats during the day or night, providing clear imagery despite low light level, dense fog, rain, smoke, debris and other battlefield obscurants. This technology reduces fratricide, increases survivability and enhances the command and control effectiveness of ground forces. SADA II assemblies contain highly sensitive infrared focal plane array detectors.
    DRS provides advanced focal plane arrays, Dewar assemblies and coolers for several significant U.S. military programs and is a market leader in long-range, advanced infrared sighting and weapons systems technology for day and night target detection under harsh environmental conditions. Under separately awarded contracts, DRS produces SADA I, SADA III and cooler assemblies for the tracking and imaging systems on a variety of Army ground platforms and weapons systems.
    The company's focal plane array (FPA) technology also is slated for use in theater missile defense applications, where its multi-band sensor capabilities will provide increased discrimination between threat projectiles, decoys and background debris. DRS's three-band sensor technology, currently under development for the U.S. Navy, will represent the state-of-the-art in infrared detection and will be one of the most sophisticated detector capabilities in the world. It is anticipated that this and other DRS-developed multi-color infrared FPA technologies will be utilized for key future military applications where threat warning, clutter rejection and false alarm reduction are imperative.
    DRS Technologies provides leading edge products and services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Focused on defense electronics, the company develops and manufactures a broad range of mission critical products, from rugged computers and peripherals to systems and components in the areas of communications, combat systems, data storage, digital imaging, electro-optics, flight safety and space.

    Additional information is available on the company's web site at www.drs.com.