The FBI awarded a five-year contract for the supply of Aimpoint Duty RDS red dot sights totalling seven million dollars and an additional four million dollars for the larger format Aimpoint CompM4 following intensive in-house testing of many well-known brands. The comparatively attractively priced Aimpoint Duty RDS with its many interesting features is worth a closer look in brief: we have already described it in detail here.
Key features of the Aimpoint Duty RDS red dot sight
For the Aimpoint Duty RDS, the Swedish designers have redesigned the controls for setting brightness intensity and asjust elevation and windage. The large adjustment switch on the right-hand side of the housing with a dozen brightness settings, as still used on the Aimpoint Micro T-2, has been replaced on the Duty RDS by a digital keypad (now on the left-hand side of the housing) with two plus/minus buttons with ten brightness settings that can be operated intuitively even when wearing gloves. These settings include four night vision-compatible levels and six daylight settings. Of course, the sight is fully compatible with all generations of night vision devices and can be combined with magnifiers to extend the operational range.
The aluminium housing of the Aimpoint Duty RDS is made of EN AW-6082 (material number 3.2315).
This modern pressure-forged aluminum alloy is characterised by high strength and is resistant to corrosion. The vibration and shock-resistant sight is waterproof up to 25 metres. It is powered by a CR2032 battery and features the "Advanced Circuit Efficiency Technology" (ACET) diode circuitry, which drastically reduces power consumption and ensures a long service life. The manufacturer guarantees over three years of continuous operation with the Duty RDS with daylight position 7 activated. The sight is available with a 39-mm high, one-piece mount version, which is recommended for the AR platform, as well as a 30-mm high mount version. The sight can also be combined with other Aimpoint CompM5 and Micro mounts from original and third-party manufacturers. Technical info specifically on the Aimpoint Duty RDS can be found on the Aimpoint website. The recommended retail price (RRP) is 769 euros.
Brief technical information on the Aimpoint CompM4s red-dot
With the new military contract for the Duty RDS, however, another Aimpoint model is also being increasingly used by the Americans: the classic Aimpoint CompM4s is used by elite military and police units worldwide. It has been in reliable service for over two decades as the M68CCO (Close Combat Optic) with the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, with more than 100,000 units in service. The new FBI contract means that more will be added.
The Aimpoint CompM4s is powered by a single AA battery for more than 80,000 hours (8 years) of continuous use and over 500,000 hours in the night vision settings. It comes with a rubber bikini lens cover and the killFlash anti-reflection device (ARD) to prevent glint from the front lens in combat. The sight housing is constructed from hard anodised aluminium alloy for optimal protection of the electronic and optic components in all environmental conditions. The 2-MOA red dot sight pairs perfectly with the Aimpoint 3XMag-1 magnifier and all generations of night vision devices.
