1952 After more than a century of fine optics production in Wetzlar Germany, Ernst Leitz Canada established in Midland to manufacture Leica cameras and lenses.   1954 Ernst Leitz Canada plant expanded to produce wider range of commercial and defence optics. This unit eventually becomes the core of ELCAN's Midland plant.   1956 Texas Instruments purchases WI Mann Optics Company of Monrovia, Ca, moves operations to Dallas, Tx. This unit has evolved as the Texas facilities for ELCAN Optical Technologies.   1959 ELCAN brand name (standing for Ernst Leitz Canada) introduced for commercial markets, Canadian military and US Navy aerial reconnaissance applications.   1960 Ernst Leitz Canada designs innovative lens for Leica that creates new standards of 35mm quality.   1963 Texas Instruments Advanced Optical Materials Lab patents revolutionary lower cost IR glass.   1964 Texas Instruments Optics Design Group co-develops world's first Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) system.   1970 Ernst Leitz Canada awarded design and manufacturing contract for new 70mm IMAX projection system.   1980 Texas Instruments OM&M pioneered Precision Diamond Point Turning Capability. 1983 Ernst Leitz Canada began work with Panavision for state-of-the-art cinematographic lens. 1990 Hughes Aircraft Co. purchased Ernst Leitz Canada. The company expanded its operations as Hughes Leitz Optical Technologies. 1995 Texas Instruments designed and produces DLP components and Digitial Display products. 1997-1999 Raytheon acquired the optical business units of Texas Instruments and Hughes Aircraft Co. Midland and Richardson (Texas) units are merged to form ELCAN Optical Technologies. 2000-2002    ELCAN Optical Technologies underwent an aggressive marketing and technology development program and focused its combined experience to serve telecommunications, defense, commercial and industrial markets. 2003 ELCAN integrated with Raytheon's microelectronics facility in Malaga, Spain. Established in 1992, this advanced electronics manufacturing plant expanded ELCAN's capabilities with complete EMS operations, electro optical integration and better access to European customers. ELCAN launches SpecterIR™, the world's first uncooled infrared riflescope focused on Homeland Security and low cost military applications.   2004 ELCAN launches PhantomIR™, a novel uncooled infrared binoculars also focused on Homeland Security and military applications.   2005 ELCAN, the world's largest manufacturer of military electronic riflescopes, releases its first consumer riflescope: DigitalHunter™. The world's first fully electronic rifle sighting system designed for sportsmen, DigitalHunter™ is a quantum leap in sporting optics technology, eclipsing the traditional glass-and-metal design of conventional riflescopes.