Military Lens Fabrication and Assembly

Project Status: Current

Description:

This Title III program is establishing a domestic resource for mono-spectral and advanced multi-spectral optical systems and lens components. Multi-spectral systems are primarily environmentally-sealed shared-aperture systems that allow widely separated wavelength bands to be transmitted through a common aperture and share common elements in the optical train.

This effort will develop a manufacturing capability for design, fabrication, finishing, coating, assembly, and testing of mono and multi-spectral night vision optical systems that can be integrated into military and commercial surveillance systems.

PA # 88ABW-2011-1990

Contractor Information

FLIR Government Systems Pittsburgh, Inc.
Freeport, Pennsylvania
http://gs.flir.com

Government Office:

To speak with a Title III representative about a specific project, call (937) 904-4382.

Contract Details:

Date of Contract Award: June 07, 2005
Total Contract Value: $ 11,314,380.00

Robotic High Volume Lens Generation, Polishing, and Assembly System; Optical Lens Handling Tray (Photo courtesy of Optical Systems Technology, Inc.)

Click image above to begin slideshow.

Applications and Benefits

Precision optics are pervasive throughout military systems and are critical to national defense, both for today’s warfighter and tomorrow’s next generation requirements. These systems offer considerable advantages including:
weight and volume reduction, thus allowing the warfighter to carry fewer pieces of equipment, improved performance, which allows both bands to utilize the full aperture of the systems, and optimized system design for a larger set of operating conditions/environments.

Multispectral optical systems enable warfighters to operate effectively in any combination of fog, smoke, camouflage, obscurants, light or absence thereof.

Specific product applications include Advanced Dualband Universal Night Sight™ (ADUNS™), the TaNS Tactical Night Sight, and the Navy AN/PVS-22 the Long Range Night Vision Sight (AN/PVS-8A), and AN/PVS-27 night vision sights.

Activities and Accomplishments

- Expanded production for mono and multi spectral lenses through the purchase and renovation of new North Buffalo, PA facility.

- Acquired a new manufacturing facility in the Northpointe Technology Center to expand mono and multispectral lens production.

- Procured ten sets of new lens generator and polisher equipment, two interferometers, and two optical coating chambers.

- Increased lens production capacity from less than 500 to 80,000+ per year though equipment purchases and manufacturing.mprovements