(pressebox) (Düsseldorf, 2012-10-10) Rheinmetall has been selected to take part in a major US procurement project in the field of vehicle armament. Over the next five years Rheinmetall can expect to generate $US20 million in sales each year under the "Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) III" framework agreement, eventually totalling US$100 million.

The Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station is one of the most important procurement projects of its kind anywhere. Under the CROWS III programme alone, the US armed forces plan to procure several thousand remote control weapon stations. The general contractor is the Kongsberg Group of Norway. As its strategic partner, Rheinmetall's Electro-Optics business unit will be supplying top-quality weapon station components, principally daylight optics and recoil absorbing elements for the gun mount. These are supplied by Rheinmetall subsidiary Vingtech, which the Group acquired in 2010.

Electro-Optics Business Unit

Created in 2011, the Electro-Optics business unit consists of all Rheinmetall units active in this field, now united in a single organisation.

An extensive range of advanced technologies gives Rheinmetall's Electro-Optics business unit a leading position in important product areas. Besides the world's armed forces and law enforcement agencies, the division's customers include major manufacturers of military systems and equipment.