The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced on 28 September that it had awarded a $98,3 million contract to the Gentex Corp. contract for laser eye protection. 

According to the DoD’s statement, this contract provides for the development, manufacture, and delivery of different variants or form factors of laser eye protection to be used for the purpose of protecting aircrew against emerging laser threats.

Gentex provides laser eye-protection visors and spectacles that offer industry-leading protection from visible and non-visible (near infrared) wavelengths, which prevents eye damage from various laser-equipped military systems. These visors and spectacles can be designed to protect against a wide range of threat profiles while maintaining high visible transmission and color perception.

Proven to be scalable to visor applications, the laser protective filter in the Gentex spectacles utilize the latest, most advanced laser eye protection materials developed for and tested by both the NAVAIR and USAF/AFRL advanced technology development and demonstrator programs.

Work will be performed in Simpson, Pennsylvania; and Thousand Oaks, California, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 27, 2024.

Gentex Corporation is the leading supplier of high-performance flight equipment for aircraft maintainers and military, law enforcement, and rescue aircrew worldwide. The company’s comprehensive portfolio of Gentex, ALPHA, and Aegisound products include scalable helmet systems, and advanced hearing protection and communication solutions.