[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 23, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1499]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   MAST MOUNTED SIGHT (MMS) AND THERMAL IMAGING SENSOR SYSTEM (TISS)

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                           HON. DAVID DREIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 23, 1997

  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the over 200 
McDonnell Douglas employees in Monrovia, CA, who are engaged in 
producing night vision/targeting systems for use by the U.S. Army and 
Navy. For nearly 10 years, the Army's Mast Mounted Sight [MMS] has been 
assembled at this facility.
  During Desert Shield/Desert Storm, many Americans saw pictures and 
video images of Army OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters with a large dome 
over the rotor blades. This dome, or MMS, was developed to increase 
survivability through its capacity to identify and target potential 
threats in both day and night, and during adverse weather. Through its 
multisensor electro-optical sighting system, our pilots were able to 
see through fog, and storms and thick smoke from burning oil fields, 
thus allowing our soldiers to own the night.
  The U.S. Navy also made wide use of the MMS to protect our warships 
passing through narrow shipping lanes. More than 200 Mast Mounted 
Sights were deployed during the Gulf War to spot and destroy floating 
mines, detect and track antiship missiles, and to destroy enemy missile 
sites. Even under adverse conditions of war in a desert environment, 
the MMS maintained a 96 percent mission capable rate.
  Using lessons learned from producing the MMS, the team at Monrovia is 
transitioning their facility to the next generation system known as 
Thermal Imaging Sensor System [TISS]. TISS is primarily designed for 
shipboard application and uses a combination of infrared sensor, TV 
camera and eyesafe laser range finder to detect, recognize and track 
mines, ships, small boats, low flying aircraft, cruise missiles and 
swimmers. TISS is fully operational at night and during bad weather, 
and is effective in close-in operations where radar may be ineffective. 
It is also useful for navigating and for search and seizure operations.
  TISS can easily be adapted to helicopters, fixed wing aircraft and 
security installations. TISS is now in production and delivery of 
initial units to the fleet is scheduled for September 1997. The U.S. 
Navy plans to procure between 120 to 150 systems over the next 6 years.
  Over the past few years, my staff and I have visited the outstanding 
production facility in Monrovia and found both the workers and 
production line to be of the highest quality. Each and every McDonnell 
Douglas employee at Monrovia, along with their supplier team, should be 
extremely proud of their efforts in providing our military forces the 
finest and most reliable equipment available for carrying out their 
difficult mission of defending the resources and interests of the 
United States of America.

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