General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a business unit of General Dynamics, has been awarded a $30 million competitive contract from U.S. Army Tank Automotive and Armaments Command for the production of reactive armour tile sets to equip M1A2Abrams battle tanks. Total contract value could reach $59 million if all contract options are exercised. General Dynamics has been a leading producer of reactive armour for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle since 1995, with $417 million in Bradley reactive armour orders to date.

Reactive armour that currently equips the U.S. Army Bradley Fighting Vehicle is made up of tiles that fasten to the exterior of the vehicles. Equipped with the General Dynamics' reactive armour, combat vehicles are better able to withstand a direct hit from a variety of anti-armour munitions, including the shoulder-fired rocket propelled grenades that are prevalent in many of today's regional conflicts.

The production program will be directed from the General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products' Burlington Technology Center, Burlington, Vt., with U.S. tile production occurring at the company's reactive armour facility in Stone County Operations, McHenry, Miss. Work will be completed by August 2009.

Sergyi Way
29.08.2006

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