The U.S. Air Force
recently awarded Lockheed Martin an $80 million follow-on contract for the Gunship Multispectral Sensor System (GMS2), the electro-optical/infrared fire control system for the AC-130U Gunship. Four
initial production units are in process and scheduled for delivery later this year.

This production contract follows the highly successful risk reduction flight demonstration that assessed system performance in target imaging, line-of-sight stabilization, image blending, image processing and system controls. The engineering and manufacturing development system is currently undergoing flight tests.

The contract includes 12 ship sets of prime mission equipment, readiness spares kits, depot level spares and technical orders and data.

GMS2 consists of a large-aperture, a midwave infrared (MWIR) sensor, two image-intensified television (I2TV) cameras, a near-infrared (NIR) laser pointer, and a laser designator/rangefinder (with eyesafe mode). Its sensor also uses image blending for improved passive situational awareness during night operations. Lockheed Martin’s facility in Akron, OH, supplies the two image-intensified television cameras for each GMS2 turret.