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PROGRAM EXECUTIVE OFFICE SOLDIER

Thermal Weapon Sight (TWS), AN/PAS-13

Mission

Enables the Soldier to detect and engage targets day or night in all weather and visibility-obscured conditions.

Description

The AN/PAS-13 Thermal Weapon Sight (TWS) provides Soldiers with individual and crew served weapons the capability to see deep into the battlefield. It increases surveillance and target acquisition range, and penetrates obscurants either day or night.

The TWS systems use uncooled, forward-looking infrared technology. It provides a standard video output for training, image transfer or remote viewing. TWS systems are lightweight systems that Soldiers can mount on a standard weapon rail and operate beyond the maximum effective range of the weapon.

PM SMS has fielded 17 micron (17um) sensor technology that provides size, weight and power improvements over previous configurations. The TWS family comprises three variants, each of which is a silent, lightweight, compact, durable and battery-powered thermal sight.

They are:

  • AN/PAS-13(V)1 Light Weapon Thermal Sight (LWTS) for the M16 / M4 series rifles and carbines, as well as the M136 Light Anti-Armor Weapon.
  • AN/PAS-13(V)2 Medium Weapon Thermal Sight (MWTS) for the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) and M240B series Medium Machine Guns.
  • AN/PAS-13(V)3 Heavy Weapon Thermal Sight (HWTS) for the squad leader’s weapon, M16 / M4 series rifles and carbines, M24 and M107 sniper rifles, and M2 HB and MK19 machine guns.

Specifications

Performance of fielded 25um systems

  • Weight:
    • HWTS: 3.9 pounds
    • MWTS: 2.9 pounds
    • LWTS: 1.9 pounds
  • Target recognition range:
    • HWTS: 2,200 meters
    • MWTS: 1,100 meters
    • LWTS: 550 meters
  • Operational time:
    • HWTS/MWTS: 6.5 hours (six lithium AAs)
    • LWTS: 5 hours (four lithium AAs) at ambient
  • Magnification:
    • HWTS: 10x/3.3x (narrow/wide)
    • MWTS: 5x/1.66x (narrow/wide)
    • LWTS: 3.1x/1.55x (narrow/wide)

Performance of fielded 17um systems

  • Weight:
    • HWTS: 2.63 pounds
    • MWTS: 2.17 pounds
    • LWTS: 1.75 pounds
  • Target recognition range:
    • HWTS: 2,200 meters
    • MWTS: 1,100 meters
    • LWTS: 550 meters
  • Operational time:
    • HWTS/MWTS/LWTS: 20 hours (four lithium L91 AA)
    • All variants with one battery change at ambient
  • Magnification:
    • HWTS: 7.98x/2.66x (narrow/wide)
    • MWTS: 3.98x/1.33x (narrow/wide)
    • LWTS: 2x/1x (narrow/wide)