US Army taps RTX for $117 million infrared sensor deal

WASHINGTON — RTX, until recently known as Raytheon Technologies, won a contract to manufacture forward-looking infrared packages for installation aboard U.S. Army tanks and other vehicles.

The low-rate initial production deal for 3rd Generation FLIR B-Kit sensors is worth as much as $117.5 million and could run until 2027, the service’s Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors said in a statement July 6.

Generally, FLIR technology picks up infrared radiation, or heat sources, and provides live images or video for review. The visual feed can help pilots and drivers navigate amid hazardous weather and can assist troops detect and target opposing forces over long distances.

The award for the third-generation sensors is the culmination of “many years of research and development on what is an extremely complex, cutting-edge technology,” Lareina Adams, a terrestrial sensors project manager at the program office, said in a statement.

Mark Kitz, who led the office until late June, previously told C4ISRNET that future FLIR products would “help define” how ground combat platforms operate and how scout operations are conducted. The 3rd Generation FLIR B-Kit will be installed on the Abrams main battle tank to start. It could also be fitted into Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicles.

RTX’s efforts will be based in McKinney, Texas. The company over the past two decades delivered more than 25,000 predecessor second-generation FLIR sensors.

RTX is the second-largest defense contractor in the world when ranked by defense revenue, according to the Defense News Top 100 list.

The company earlier this year secured a separate, $118 million deal with the Army for a batch of advanced target sensors destined for drones, namely the General Atomics-made MQ-1C Gray Eagle.

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