General Dynamics gets tank order

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STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich., Jan. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. manufacturer General Dynamics Land Systems has been contracted by the U.S. Army to build 69 M1A2S Abrams tanks for Saudi Arabia.

The contract, from by the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command, is worth $132.7 million and is the result of a U.S. Foreign Military Sales agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

General Dynamics Land Systems said the award extends work it started in 2008 to update M1A1 and M1A2 tanks to the M1A2S configuration.

The M1A2S conversion increases the efficiency and capability of the tank.

The work will be performed at the company's Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio. The company estimates that work on the award will be completed by the end of July 2014.