Mass. BAE office gets 2 Army orders

The Lexington office of defense contractor BAE Systems has received two US Army orders.

The orders, for the production of thermal weapon sights, total $80 million.

The program produces sights for applications ranging from rifles to heavy, tripod-mounted weapons; the thermal technology enables individual and crew-served weapon gunners to see deep into the battlefield, increasing their surveillance and target acquisition range, the company said.

"These weapon sights provide Army infantry with the ability to detect and engage targets day or night, in all weather and battlefield conditions," Bruce Zukauskas, director of military programs for BAE Systems in Lexington.

Separately, the Army selected BAE Systems to continue efforts to reduce the size, weight, and cost of future weapon sights, the company said.

BAE Systems is a defense and aerospace company based in the United Kingdom.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)