April 14, 2006, Blackwood, NJ--Metrologic Instruments announced that the Advanced Optical Systems Division of its Adaptive Optics Associates (AOA; Cambridge, MA) subsidiary was awarded a contract from Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems (NGES; Baltimore, MD) related to the High-Precision Long-Range Laser Designator/Locator (HPLD) Program. This contract, with a total potential value of $6.5 million, supersedes a previously awarded and completed contract of $153,000.
The objective of NGES's HPLD Program is to develop and demonstrate new technology that will improve the accuracy and range of laser designators that are used to identify targets in the battlefield. Atmospheric turbulence limits the performance of current laser designators by spreading the beam. By applying AOA's novel atmospheric compensation technology to mitigate these errors, laser designators will have expanded utility to the war fighter by allowing him to select individual targets that may be grouped near non-targeted structures.
"AOA has been a leader in the field of Adaptive Optics for atmospheric compensation for over twenty five years and is looking forward to applying its expertise to this very challenging program," Jeff Yorsz, AOA's President and General Manager stated. "AOA is very pleased to be selected by Northrop Grumman for the development of novel Adaptive Optics which may improve future generations of Laser Designators."