STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich., April 24 (UPI) -- General Dynamics' Land Systems business unit has won two U.S. Army contracts for Abrams tank survivability kits.
The two contracts for the Abrams Tank Urban Survivability Kits are together worth $57 million, General Dynamics said in a statement Monday.
The first contract is worth $45 million for 2,832 Loader's Armor Gun Shields. The second is worth $12 million for Loader's Thermal Weapon Sights and Counter-Sniper Anti-Materiel Mounts, the company said.
General Dynamics said the TUSK kits incorporated the operational experience of U.S. Army combat units in Iraq. It said the TUSK project had been launched by the U.S. Army's Heavy Brigade Combat Team and General Dynamics. The TUSK add-on kit for the Abrams M1A1- and M1A2-series Main Battle Tanks are designed to increase the crew's chances surviving in urban environments thanks to its addition of more armor protection, a mine safety seat, Abrams reactive armor tiles and a tank infantry phone.
The kits also contain an extra gun shield and thermal weapon sight that give the tank's loader the capability to fire at hostile forces from behind a transparent shield even under conditions of limited visibility or in darkness. The counter-sniper anti-materiel mount gives the gunner the capability to accurately fire at hostiles with a .50 caliber machine gun while staying behind the protection of the MBT's armor, the company said.
General Dynamics said the TUSK will be manufactured in Lima, Ohio, and is scheduled to be finished by Aug. 31, 2011. The loader's thermal weapon sights and counter-sniper anti-materiel mount project is scheduled to be finished by Feb. 28, 2009, the company said.
