Army taps BAE Systems for M88A2 recovery vehicles

ARLINGTON, Va., April 26 (UPI) -- BAE Systems is to convert U.S. Army M88A1 recovery vehicles to the M88A2 configuration under a contract modification worth $109.7 million.

The conversions allow the 36 M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift Evacuation Systems, or Hercules, to recover the Army's heaviest vehicles, such as the M1A1 Abrams tank, without the assistance of another vehicle.

"The HERCULES is an integral part of the Army's Armored Brigade Combat Team and is essential to its recovery missions," said John Tile, director of Recovery Programs at BAE Systems. "The ability to provide single-vehicle recovery for even the heaviest vehicles in today's fleet increases troop safety and provides significant cost savings to the Army."

BAE Systems said work on the contract is expected to begin in August and will be conducted mainly at the company's facility in York, Penn., and at a facility in Aiken, S.C.

Deliveries of the M88A2 will start in November of next year and continue through August of 2018.