▁production ▁contract ▁was ▁awarded ▁ 1 1 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁Lock he ed ▁Martin ▁rolled ▁out ▁the ▁first ▁Ar row head ▁system ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁and ▁completed ▁integration ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁Apache ▁hel ic op ters ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁Ar row head ▁extends ▁optical ▁target ing ▁ranges ▁and ▁reli ability ▁by ▁a ▁factor ▁of ▁two , ▁while ▁also ▁significantly ▁reducing ▁maintenance ▁costs . ▁Quick - access ▁“ remove - and - replace ” ▁modules ▁are ▁designed ▁to ▁reduce ▁maintenance ▁and ▁save ▁nearly ▁$ 1 ▁billion ▁in ▁Army ▁operation ▁and ▁support ▁costs ▁over ▁the ▁ 2 0 - year ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁Ar row head ▁system . ▁ ▁V N s ight ▁The ▁V N s ight ▁visible / near ▁inf ra red ▁sensor ▁is ▁a ▁low - light - level ▁TV ▁( LL LT V ) ▁integrated ▁into ▁the ▁Apache ' s ▁Modern ized ▁Pil ot ▁Night ▁V ision ▁S ensor ▁( M - PN VS ) ▁and ▁Path find er ▁dedicated ▁pilot age ▁sensor ▁( the ▁M - PN VS ▁adapted ▁for ▁cargo ▁and ▁utility ▁aircraft ). ▁The ▁additional ▁imag ing ▁cap ability ▁in ▁this ▁w avel ength ▁comple ments ▁the ▁long ▁wave ▁inf ra red ▁w avel ength ▁of ▁the ▁existing ▁sensor ▁and ▁adds ▁significant ▁tact ical ▁advantages . ▁ ▁Using ▁V N s ight ▁imag ery ▁bl ended ▁with ▁the ▁standard ▁M - PN VS ▁forward ▁looking ▁inf