Marine Corps to get MRAP armor add-ons

LADSON, S.C., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The U.S. Marine Corps has contracted Force Protection Inc. for the company's armor add-on kits for mine resistant ambush protected vehicles.

South Carolina-based Force Protection was awarded two contracts from the Marine Corps Systems Command. Under the $30 million awards, Force Protection will provide the Marine Corps with 188 of its Cougar Exterior Ballistic EFP Kits.

Officials say the Exterior Ballistic kits are designed with the company's composite armor technologies, Force Armor, providing troops operating Cougar MRAP vehicles with additional protection from explosive threats in combat zones like Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We are very pleased to receive substantial first orders for this new product," Michael Moody, Force Protection chief executive officer, said in a statement.

"We are proud with our research and development effort for this lightweight, readily available materials solution. It directly addresses the threat from larger improvised explosive devices and explosively formed penetrators and will take standards of vehicle survivability to a new level on the battlefield."