General Dynamics continues Saudi tank work
The Royal Saudi Land Forces has awarded two contracts worth $44 million to General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) for the upgrade of its M1A2 main battle tanks (MBT).
The US Army TACOM Lifecycle Management Command made the awards on behalf of the Royal Saudi Land Forces, a GDLS statement announced on 18 January.
The contracts were awarded as part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s MBT programme, in which all 314 M1A2 MBTs are to be upgraded to an M1A2S (Saudi) configuration.
This will ensure that ‘the M1A2S will possess defined capabilities that increase lethality while limiting obsolescence’, according to GDLS.
The first $37.1 million contract will provide materials and labour for the conversion of 42 of the platforms. The second $6.9 million contract will provide the equipment needed to kit out a production facility for future conversions.
The first body of work will be carried out at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Ohio, and the second in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Both components are expected to be completed by September 2012.
More from Land Warfare
-
![Hungary set to begin using Hero 400 loitering munitions]()
Hungary set to begin using Hero 400 loitering munitions
Developed by Israel's Uvision and with systems being sold in the thousands to multiple European NATO countries and the US, the Hero family of loitering systems is also in production in the US and Italy, the latter through Rheinmetall.
-
![Croatia orders Leopards and CAESAR howitzers as Lithuania orders more CAESARs]()
Croatia orders Leopards and CAESAR howitzers as Lithuania orders more CAESARs
The Leopard is becoming the tank of choice in central and eastern Europe as Croatia joins Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Hungary in ordering the platform. Lithuania and Croatia have also signed for CAESAR howitzers.
-
![Light Reconnaissance Strike – enabling a vital mission set (Studio)]()
Light Reconnaissance Strike – enabling a vital mission set (Studio)
A new system-of-systems concept will unlock digital integration of sensors and weapons for Light Forces, allowing them to shape the battlefield environment on their own terms and upgrade legacy platforms.
