Leonardo DRS has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command C5ISR Center to support the Delivering Unmatched Thermal Capability Hastened, or DUTCH, initiative.
Supported by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies, the DUTCH initiative focuses on accelerating the development and transition of next-generation uncooled thermal infrared sensing capabilities for defense applications. The program is structured to advance high-performance, cost-effective thermal-imaging technology capable of rapid integration across diverse operational environments and platforms.
Under the contract, Leonardo DRS will demonstrate high-definition, high-frame-rate uncooled thermal camera cores engineered to provide advanced sensitivity, image quality, and responsiveness. The technology is targeted at delivering size, weight, power, and cost advantages across both crewed and uncrewed platforms, as well as fixed and mobile installations. Identified applications include unmanned aerial systems, counter-UAS, missile and rocket seekers, weapon sights, night-vision systems, ground-vehicle sensing and targeting, and unmanned surface vessels.
“DRS is committed to meeting the rapidly growing demand for high-performance thermal imaging solutions across the defense enterprise,” said Jerry Hathaway, senior vice president and general manager of Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems business unit. “Our selection for the DUTCH initiative reflects the depth of our uncooled IR technology portfolio, our understanding of operational needs and our ability to transition advanced sensing capabilities into scalable production.”
To support expanding defense demand, the company is scaling its production capacity and supply chain resilience. Leonardo DRS operates dual-site camera assembly and testing facilities in Dallas, Texas, and Melbourne, Florida, while continuing to broaden its component supplier base to ensure sustained manufacturing continuity and the delivery of mission-ready hardware.
“Today’s operational environment requires thermal-sensing solutions that can be produced at scale, integrated efficiently and perform reliably in the most challenging conditions,” Hathaway added. “DRS is investing in the technology, manufacturing capacity and supply-chain resilience necessary to remain a trusted, go-to provider of high-performance, cost-effective IR sensing solutions for the warfighter.”
