Defense contractor DRS Technologies has been awarded a contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to enhance performance of the company’s ultrasmall pixel IR focal plane arrays (FPA) under the agency’s Lambda Scale Program. The Lambda Scale program is focused on the ground-breaking reduction in traditional IR detector pixel pitches to help reduce the size, weight and power of aircraft imaging systems, including handheld sights and distributed aviation sensors for situational awareness. “This new process opens the door to revolutionary advances in the design of IR imaging systems of the future,” said Shawn Black, vice president and general manager of IR sensors and systems at DRS. “These are substantial improvements in IR sensor capability for mission-critical applications such as the degraded visual environments that helicopters experience, where image quality and clarity could prove to be critical to the safety of our helicopter pilots and crew members." DRS develops integrated products and services for military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors.