Leonardo DRS Wins Army Uncooled Thermal Camera Deal
The contract will demonstrate uncooled thermal infrared camera cores under the Army's DUTCH initiative, which aims to make affordable defense thermal imaging at scale.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Semiconductors
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command C5ISR Center awarded Leonardo DRS a contract to demonstrate uncooled thermal infrared camera cores. The work supports the DUTCH initiative, which seeks to accelerate development of high-performance, affordable thermal-imaging technology for defense.
Why it matters
Uncooled thermal imagers detect infrared radiation without cryogenic cooling, which addresses size, weight, power consumption, and cost constraints that limit military deployment. The DUTCH initiative targets manufacturing these technologies at scale rather than in small lots.
The Army's March 2026 market-research notice set a target technology readiness level of 6 or higher for government-furnished lens-less thermal sensors. Contract value, camera specifications, and demonstration milestones were not disclosed.
The players
Leonardo DRS
Leonardo DRS is a U.S. defense electronics company that builds thermal imaging and sensor systems for military customers.
U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command C5ISR Center
The C5ISR Center is the Army research and development center responsible for command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.
Teledyne FLIR OEM
Teledyne FLIR OEM is a thermal imaging subsidiary of Teledyne Technologies that supplies infrared camera components to defense and commercial customers.
The details
Leonardo DRS will demonstrate high-definition, high-frame-rate uncooled thermal camera cores for the Army. Teledyne FLIR OEM was separately selected in August 2026 to support the same DUTCH initiative, and Leonardo DRS maintains camera assembly and test facilities in Dallas and Melbourne, Florida.
Timeline
March 2019: The Army created and approved its Standards Compliant Camera interface document.
March 2026: DEVCOM issued a market-research notice seeking lens-less thermal sensor information.
August 2026: Teledyne FLIR OEM was selected to support the DUTCH initiative.
October 2026: The C5ISR Center requested feedback on its camera interface document.
Market Landscape
The Army's 2019 Standards Compliant Camera interface document underpins the DUTCH effort to bring uncooled thermal cores into scalable production. Awarding parallel work to Leonardo DRS and Teledyne FLIR OEM signals a push to keep multiple suppliers competing in defense thermal imaging.
The DUTCH effort aims to make thermal imaging more affordable and manufacturable at scale, which could eventually reduce costs for the systems built on these cores. No timeline for fielded products or price changes has been disclosed.
The takeaway
Uncooled thermal imaging is moving from small-batch development toward scalable production, and the Army is funding more than one supplier to get there. Watch for contract values and demonstration results, which have not yet been disclosed.
Further reading
Explore more Semiconductors coverage for the broader chip and sensor supply context behind defense thermal imaging.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Military & Aerospace Electronics.
