General Dynamics details ammunition orders
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems will supply a variety of ammunition products and a munition system to the US military under a range of new contracts, the details of which were released on 1 October. The contracts have a total value in excess of $113 million.
The company was awarded an engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract for the Mission Payload Module - Non-Lethal Weapon System (MPM-NLWS) being developed for the US Marine Corps.
The system, to be mounted on marine corps vehicles, will allow operators to selectively vary the intensity of MPM-NLWS munitions' effects to match operational requirements. It is being developed to provide counter-personnel and graduated-response options for scenarios involving crowd control, access or area denial, convoy operations or direct-threat engagement. The company’s $26.5 million EMD contract will be complete by May 2016.
The US Army awarded the company a $31 million IDIQ contract for 40mm L/60 HEI cartridges via the Canadian Commercial Corporation. The L/60 HEI cartridge is fired from the 40mm M2A1 cannon for air-to-surface engagements by the US Air Force's AC-130 gunship aircraft. Work under this contract will be performed by the company's Canadian operations and is expected to be completed by September 2015.
Additionally, General Dynamics will supply 20mm and 30mm tactical and training ammunition for use on a range of navy, army, and air force platforms. This work will be conducted under a number of different production contracts worth a combined $55 million, and will be completed by December 2015.
Tim Bagniefski, vice president marketing and business development, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, said: ‘These contract awards demonstrate our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of US warfighters with responsive and affordable munition solutions. Both the MPM-NLWS and the 40mm L/60 ammunition awards represent long-term opportunities to provide new products to domestic and international customers.’
More from Land Warfare
-
Raytheon and Diehl Defence sign deal to co-produce Stinger missiles in Europe
An agreement has been signed that will extend Stinger missile system production to Europe with Diehl Defence currently looking at manufacturing locations.
-
New version of Altay tank to be delivered “soon” with Turkish engine for later iterations
The first of the Altay T1 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) will have a South Korean power pack while later Altay T2s will be fitted with the locally made BMC BATU engine.
-
Lockheed Martin wins deals for missiles and systems worth $5 billion
There continues to be an insatiable desire for air-defence and air-launched missiles and systems in the US and worldwide. Lockheed Martin’s latest deals reinforce the demand and highlight the supply chain challenge for manufacturing solid rocket motors.