Textron supplying armored combat vehicles to Bulgaria

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Textron Systems Marine & Land Systems is supplying 10 of its Commando Select armored vehicles to Bulgaria under a Foreign Military Sales contract.

The contract, worth more than $15.2 million, was awarded to the company by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Warren, Mich.

The four-wheel drive vehicles -- along with related fielding hardware and technical services -- will initially be deployed in support of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

"We're pleased to be delivering an expanded armored vehicle capability to the Bulgarian military," said Tom Walmsley, Marine & Land Systems senior vice president and general manager. "Our customer values both the level of performance and protection offered by these vehicles, as well as the support and training services our team can provide throughout each vehicle's life cycle."

According to the company three variants of the Commando Select will be delivered by the end of next June: turreted vehicles with co-axially mounted 40mm Mk-19 and .50 caliber machine guns, a command-and-control variant with turret, and an ambulance variant.

The command-and-control variant will feature Textron Systems' remote video terminal technology, which will enable real-time situational awareness from unmanned systems and other sources.