U.S. Army Awards General Dynamics $35m to produce M2A1 quick change barrel conversion kits
The US Army Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command, Picatinny, N.J., awarded General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products an order valued at approximately $35 million to manufacture M2A1 quick change barrel (QCB) conversion kits. The QCB conversion kits feature several direct-replacement parts to modify existing M2 heavy barrel (M2HB) machine guns to the M2A1 configuration. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in January 2011 and will continue through December 2012. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is a business unit of General Dynamics.
"With the QCB conversion kits, the US warfighter can change the machine gun barrel in a few seconds. The M2A1 features fixed headspace and timing, which eliminates the need to manually calibrate the weapon after each barrel change and reduces exposure time to enemy fire," said Mike O'Brien, vice president and general manager of gun systems for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. "The M2A1 is an efficient and reliable tool for American warfighters in combat."
Production work will be completed by the existing workforce at the General Dynamics facility in Saco, Maine, which employs approximately 420 people and has manufactured the M2 machine gun since 1979. Program management will be performed at General Dynamics' Burlington Technology Center in Vermont.
Source: General Dynamics
More from Land Warfare
-
![Raytheon and Diehl Defence sign deal to co-produce Stinger missiles in Europe]()
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]()
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 Atlay T2s will be fitted with the locally made BMC BATU engine.
-
![Bahrain approved for $500 million HIMARS order as production surges]()
Bahrain approved for $500 million HIMARS order as production surges
Lockheed Martin’s M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is being widely ordered and deployed. The company has been working to ramp up production while continuing work to design and produce more potent missiles.
