March 1, 2012:
The U.S. Army has bought another few hundred TIM 1500 thermal imagers. The exact number and price is classified. The army already has 13,000 of these devices. The TIM 1500 weighs 6.7 kg (12.5 pounds), is 276mm (10.9 inches) long, and 178mm in diameter. Costing under $10,000 each, these imagers can spot vehicles out to 2,000 meters or more. The TIM 1500 uses external power and are most often found in vehicles, especially the remote gun turrets the U.S. Army has so enthusiastically adopted during the last decade.