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US: DoD awards nearly $250 million in contracts for pilot laser eye protection

The U.S. Department of Defense on September 28 2018 announced two contracts, each worth $98.3 million, for the development, manufacture and delivery of visors and other devices to protect pilots from blinding lasers.

The contracts went to Gentex and to Teledyne Scientific & Imaging, and will be completed by September 2024.

Earlier, on August 10 2018, DoD announced a $49 million contract for the Flash and Laser Airborne Protection System, which provides for research, development and manufacturing of photonic resistant material to protect air crews from flash blindness. Photonic shielding is used on high-value military aircraft such as Air Force One, but is not in widespread use.

The contract went to UES Inc. of Dayton Ohio, and will be completed by November 2024.

According to an October 1 UPI story, "the Pentagon started moving on improved eye protection for pilots after the Chinese military reportedly used lasers against pilots from a base in Djibouti, as well as in the South China Sea."

From UPI (Oct 1 story about Gentex and Teledyne) and UPI (Aug 13 story about UES)