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General Dynamics Awarded $70 Million Contract to Provide Australia with M1A1 Abrams AIM Tanks STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. -General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics, was awarded the final $42 million delivery order of a $70 million foreign military sales contract from the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command to provide 59 refurbished M1A1 Abrams Integrated Management (AIM) tanks to the Commonwealth of Australia. The M1A1 AIM tanks will replace the Australian Land Forces' aging Leopard main battle tanks. Survivable and affordable vehicles with excellent potential for network centric warfare, the Abrams M1A1 AIM tanks will provide Australian Forces with increased connectivity, mobility, firepower and survivability. Additionally, the M1A1 AIM provides a cost-efficient armor solution as it incurs low operational and support costs, and reports high operational readiness rates. Under this contract, M1A1 Abrams tanks from the U.S. Army inventory will be completely disassembled, overhauled and refurbished to like-new "zero-mileage" condition. The tank has a cruising range of up to 480 kilometers, the ability to reach speeds of 66 kph on-road and up to 48 kph off-road (while carrying four crewman and ammunition). The primary weapon is a 120mm smooth-bore cannon; it is also equipped with a 50-caliber machine gun for the tank commander and two additional 7.62mm machine guns. The Abrams can fire an advanced kinetic energy tungsten penetrator round against vehicles and a multipurpose round for infantry support. The Abrams' survivability is enhanced through its nuclear, biological and chemical protection system, crew compartmentalization from munitions and armored blow-off panels, which allow stowed munitions to vent to the atmosphere if detonated. Work will be performed by existing General Dynamics and Department of Defense employees in Anniston, Ala.; Lima, Ohio; Scranton, Pa.; and Tallahassee, Fl. The 59 M1A1 AIM tanks are scheduled for delivery to Australian Land Forces in two shipments, in June and December 2006. The tanks are part of a large worldwide fleet with known, stable operating costs, and are expected to be in service beyond 2020. General Dynamics will offer the Commonwealth of Australia the same comprehensive material and logistics support available to the Abrams fleet worldwide. General Dynamics Land Systems-Australia, a subsidiary, will take the lead in working with the Commonwealth to structure and implement a robust logistics system for the vehicles. Source: GDLS General Dynamics Awarded $69 Million Stryker Reset Contract STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. - The U.S. Army TACOM Lifecycle Management Command has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics, a $69 million contract for Stryker eight-wheeled combat vehicle sustainment or "reset" work. Through this contract, General Dynamics will service, repair and modify 265 Stryker infantry combat vehicles which are returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom, restoring them to a pre-combat, like-new condition in advance of reissuing the vehicles prior to their next deployment. These vehicles have been in service in Iraq since October 2003, supporting two 3,900-soldier Stryker Brigade Combat Team rotations. The reset work is slated to begin in mid-November by existing General Dynamics employees in Sterling Heights; London, Ontario, Canada; and at Fort Lewis, Wash. Work is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2006. During their service in Iraq, these vehicles were driven more than six million miles, participating in assignments ranging from Fallujah, Baghdad and the Euphrates River Valley to the Tigris River Valley and Mosul. The vehicles maintained an operational readiness rate above 95 percent throughout their deployment in Iraq. The armored vehicles enable Stryker Brigade Combat Teams to maneuver easily in close and urban terrain, while providing protection in open terrain. Performance highlights include C-130 transportability; networked command, control, computing and communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capability; integral 14.5mm armor protection and 152mm artillery airburst protection; self-deployment and self-recovery capability; reduced vehicle acoustic signature; ability to carry a nine-man infantry or engineer squad; and bunker and wall breaching capability. Stryker is the Army's highest-priority production combat vehicle program and the centerpiece of the ongoing Army Transformation. The Stryker family of eight-wheel-drive combat vehicles can travel at speeds up to 62 mph on highways, with a range of 312 miles. Stryker vehicle configurations include carriers for mortars, engineer squads, infantry squads, command groups, and fire support teams; a nuclear, biological and chemical reconnaissance vehicle; anti-tank guided missile and medical evacuation vehicles; and the Mobile Gun System, a 105mm cannon mounted in a low-profile turret that is integrated into the Stryker chassis. The Army recently approved the Mobile Gun System and the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle for low-rate production, and the first MGS and NBCRV vehicles are slated for delivery to the Army this month. Source: GDLS |
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