FLIR Systems, Inc. announced that it has been awarded a $1 million contract from Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) for over 100 ThermoVision(R) Scout(TM) handheld cameras. Deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter of 2003.

The (ONDCP) Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center's CTAC program is the central counterdrug enforcement research and development organization of the U.S. Government established five years ago with the express mission of transferring the latest in law enforcement technologies to state and local agencies to assist them in the war on drugs.

"This recent award reflects the demand for affordable, lightweight, deployable handheld infrared technology for state and local law enforcement market," said Earl Lewis, President and CEO of FLIR Systems Inc. "We are pleased that a special version of our new E-Series was selected to support this emerging market."

The Scout(TM) allows officers to see suspects or victims clearly in complete darkness or fog, through foliage, and in other hard-to-see situations, often times from 1200 feet away. The ThermoVision(R) Scout(TM) incorporates state of the art infrared detector technology that offers substantial detection capabilities above and beyond the "low level light" technology currently on the market, giving law enforcement personnel a valuable new hi-tech tool in their pursuit and apprehension of criminals.

This recent award will fulfill just some of the applications that state and local law enforcement agencies have submitted for infrared camera equipment since the ThermoVision(R) Scout(TM) was added to the program in the fall of 2002.