LONDON, Ontario, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada has won a new contract to build 600 MRAP vehicles for the U.S. Marines.
GDLS-C said the $38.7 million delivery order was for 600 RG-31 Category II, or Cat II, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. The deal followed a previous U.S. Marine Corps order early this year for 20 MRAPs. General Dynamics Land Systems, the Canadian company’s parent corporation, is a business unit of General Dynamics.
"The 600 RG-31s will be manufactured by Demmer Corp. of Lansing, Mich., with additional production coming from BAE OMC of Benoni, South Africa, in order to meet the urgent production schedule. Deliveries will be completed by March, 2008," GDLS-C said in a statement.
"The General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada MRAP vehicle is based on an extended version of the RG-31 Mk5, the latest member of the highly successful RG-31 vehicle family. U.S. forces have previously ordered or received 492 RG-31 vehicles, including 309 Mk5s for the U.S. Army and Special Operations Command (SOCOM)," the company said. "The vehicles have proven to be highly effective against mines, improvised explosive devices and ballistic threats encountered by U.S. and Allied forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan."
“The RG-31 family of vehicles has demonstrated effective performance, accumulating over 2 million miles during two years of operational service,” said Sridhar Sridharan, senior vice president of General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada. “Our team of experienced manufacturers will ensure that these capable vehicles are delivered to our troops on an urgent basis. We are grateful for the opportunity to once again play a role in protecting the lives of our soldiers.”
General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada is a business unit of General Dynamics Land Systems of Sterling Heights, Mich.
