By Ann Roosevelt
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Lockheed Martin‘s [LMT] Visible/Near Infrared Sensor VNSight is preparing for an Army decision to move into low-rate initial production, according to company and Army officials.
“The Lockheed Martin system is complete, integrated, on-the-shelf ready to go,” Lt. Col. John Vannoy, product manager, Apache Sensor Systems, said at a briefing during the Army Aviation Association of American annual conference Tuesday.
Matthew Hoffman, Lockheed Martin senior program manager, Apache Fire Control at Lockheed Martin Missiles an Fire Control, said, “It’s all about situational awareness.”
VHSight blends forward looking infrared (FLIR) imagery with ambient light to allow Apache crews to see things they couldn’t see or see very well with just the FLIR.
The system is integrated into the Apache Modernized-Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-PNVS) system.
The program has been in development for about a year and a half, Hoffman said, culminating with flight tests a couple of weeks ago at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., currently being evaluated by Program Manager Apache.
The VNSight adds about two and a half pounds to the pilots’ night vision sensor.
The plan is to move forward into LRIP with approximately a battalion’s worth of sights and allow an as-yet-unidentified unit preparing to deploy to have time to train with the units and then take them into theater, Hoffman said.
Vannoy said the latest test results are being assessed and, after six senior experimental test pilots flew the unit at Yuma, they are “generally very satisfied with the ability to improve situational awareness and enhance crew coordination.”
Adding the capability into the FLIR for the back seater, both pilots can then discuss targets, or items on the battlefield, and improve air-ground integration.
The new sight offers the ability to see lasers they couldn’t see before, a critical tactical application, he said.
The blended system shows up in the helmet mounted display unit.
The Army now is in discussions on how to proceed, Vannoy said.
The sight is a requirement driven by operation needs for Apache crews.
Robert Gunning, vice president, Apache Programs for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said the original program was developed in 2002, but was not suitable. Now technology has evolved and does what was intended.
The plug and play fielding allows the about 2.5-pound VNSight, with some software added, to replace a mass simulator.
The new capability will allow aircrew to see such things as laser designators, pointers, flares, ambient lighting such as street lights, landing lights, gun fire and tracers. It will even pick up something like the opening of a truck door.
For maintainers, there are no aircraft hardware changes, and there are no electrical, mechanical or optical impacts.
The blended FLIR ambient light picture appears to offer more depth and perspective than the single FLIR image.