SOURCE: drs.com Feb 28, 2008

DRS Technologies Receives a $23 Million Contract from the U.S. Army to Support the Mast Mounted Sights on Kiowa Warrior Attack Helicopters

DRS Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: DRS) announced today that it received a $23 million order from the U.S. Army's Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, to provide engineering support, field service support and general depot repairs for the Mast Mounted Sights (MMS) on OH-58 Kiowa Warrior attack helicopters.

DRS also will provide post-production, engineering assistance and depot support for obsolescence mitigation. The work for this award will be accomplished by the company's DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems - Optronics Division in Melbourne and Palm Bay, Florida.

"The unique design and ease of upgradeability has enabled DRS to keep the MMS at the forefront of aviation sighting technology since it was introduced 25-years ago. Because of its high-level of performance, the service life of the Kiowa Warrior is now scheduled to continue to 2017," said James M. Baird, president of DRS' Reconnaissance Surveillance & Target Acquisition (RSTA) business segment. "Because of this continued success we feel confident pursuing the next ID/IQ five-year contract to support MMS work starting in October 2008."

The MMS is one of the key systems on the Kiowa Warrior attack helicopter. Its unique capabilities allow its pilots and crew to scan a battlefield to acquire, identify, and engage targets. Being mast mounted, the MMS enables the helicopter to fight both day and night and in adverse weather conditions from the maximum range of its weapons systems and with minimum exposure to enemy threats. It also allows the helicopter to remain concealed until just a few seconds before an engagement. The long distance detection and surprise attack capabilities give the crew a considerably greater survivability rate than attack helicopters with nose-mounted sensors.

Systems inside the MMS include a high-resolution television camera for long-range, low-light target detection, an infrared thermal imaging sensor supporting navigation, surveillance and target acquisition, and a laser rangefinder/designator to provide precise target location and guidance of Hellfire missiles.

The RSTA business segment develops, manufactures and supports electro-optical technologies, including advanced cooled and uncooled thermal-imaging solutions for soldier systems, ground vehicle, airborne, and maritime as well as for industrial, security, public safety and firefighting applications.

DRS Technologies, headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, is a leading supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors worldwide. The company employs approximately 9,500 people. For more information about DRS Technologies, please visit the company's web site at www.drs.com.