BAE Systems yesterday said U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) awarded it an $11 million contract to procure the SkeetIR® thermal monocular.
The combat proven monocular can be used by SOCOM personnel in a variety of modes.
“Our primary focus is to allow our operators to see the enemy before they’re seen, and the SkeetIR does just that,” said Vadim Plotsker, president of BAE Systems OASYS in Manchester, N.H., where the devices are designed and produced. “The SkeetIR has undergone extensive Department of Defense review and testing and is often referred to as a game changing operational capability.”
The SkeetIR is one of the smallest and most versatile thermal imagers on the market, the company said in a statement yesterday. It fits within the dimensions of a credit card and it allows for seamless operational transition from an observation to a targeting device.
The thermal device can be used in clip-on, handheld, and helmet mount modes and for visual augmentation for image intensified devices. The SkeetIR greatly improves vision at night and in dust or smoke conditions.
BAE Systems OASYS has expertise in thermal imaging technology, optical assembly design and manufacture, precision optical components, and rapid development of multi-mission use devices.