U.S. Army orders reactive armor tiles

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army has contracted General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products to supply reactive armor for Bradley Fighting Vehicles.

The order for reactive armor side skirt tiles is worth about $48 million, the company said.

Deliveries are expected to begin next February and finish in September 2011.

The company said its reactive armor system is composed of tiles that fasten to the exterior of a vehicle, allowing it to better withstand direct hits from a variety of anti-armor munitions.

"Our reactive armor technology adds a valuable level of vehicle protection against shaped-charge threats and explosively formed projectiles," said Russ Klein, vice president and general manager of weapon systems for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. "Designed specifically for the U.S. Army's Bradley Fighting Vehicle, reactive armor prevents severe damage to combat vehicles in Iraq, and more importantly saves lives."

Production work will be performed at the General Dynamics facility in McHenry, Miss., and the program will be managed from General Dynamics' Burlington Technology Center in Vermont.

General Dynamics said Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Ordnance and Protection Division, will share the production workload in Haifa, Israel.