BAE Systems said it will provide thermal cameras for Army mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles under a $27.1 million contract.
The company’s Check-6r camera system will give MRAP occupants day, night, and all-weather visibility, enabling combat crews to “see” outside the vehicle while remaining within its protective armor.
Under the contract, the company will deliver 3,999 Check-6r systems for upgrades to existing MRAPs. Each system consists of one infrared camera and a control box.
“Before BAE Systems created the Check-6 system, soldiers couldn’t see what was behind them without exiting their vehicle,” said Lila Hillin, program manager for BAE Systems in Austin, Texas. “Check-6 protects crews by providing them with situational awareness that’s critical in today’s combat environments.”
The Check-6 camera is completely contained in the vehicle’s taillight housing and can be readily installed on most current and future Army vehicles with no modifications to the vehicle structure.
The system, currently fielded on the M1 Abrams, Stryker, and the MRAP all-terrain vehicle, fits into taillight housings common to more than 200,000 military vehicles.
BAE Systems expects to deliver more than 15,000 Check-6 systems by the end of 2010.