General Dynamics awarded $25m by US Army to produce MK47 weapon systems

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products has been awarded a $24.9 million contract by the US Army to produce MK47 advanced lightweight grenade launcher (ALGL) systems. The contract supports a foreign military sale and is a firm fixed price award for 130 MK47 systems that each include the lightweight video sight systems, spare parts and technical support. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in January 2012 and be completed by August 2012. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is a business unit of General Dynamics.

The TACOM Contracting Center (TCC) in Rock Island, Ill., awarded the contract in July. Program management will be conducted in Burlington, Vt., with production occurring at General Dynamics’ Saco, Maine, facility. Work will be completed by the company’s existing workforce.

“The MK47 is a reliable, portable 40mm grenade weapon system suited for mobile, tactical combat infantry units, particularly against soft and lightly-armored targets,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president and general manager of gun systems for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. “The MK47 has been demonstrated in combat to be a one-shot, one-kill weapon system.”

The MK47, also known as the STRIKER(40), is an ALGL capable of firing air bursting munitions. General Dynamics is partnered with Raytheon to build the lightweight video system fire control, which assists in the detection, recognition and first-round engagement of target threats.

Source: General Dynamics

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