First Lightweight RPG Protection Kits for RG31 Vehicles

,

ALEXANDRIA: BAE Systems has installed the first two LROD(TM) rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) protection kits on U.S. Army RG31 and RG31A1 mine-protected vehicles.

LROD is a lightweight, modular bar-armor system composed of an aluminum alloy that provides protection against RPGs without compromising the operational capabilities of the vehicle. Weighing less than half of comparable steel designs, LROD bolts onto the vehicle without welding or cutting, and can be repaired in the field.

The Army will procure 12 additional LROD kits for delivery this year to operational units in response to an Army Operational Need Statement. The Army has expressed interest in procuring additional kits for the entire RG31 and RG31A1 fleet. The RG31 was developed by BAE Systems in South Africa.

“The LROD system provides lightweight, low-cost RPG protection that is easily adapted to virtually any armored vehicle,” said Dr. Jim Galambos, director of business development for BAE Systems' Advanced Technologies.

LROD was developed in response to increased threats from rocket-propelled grenades in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. It also is a candidate for use on the DoD's mine-resistant, ambush-protected family of vehicles.

BAE Systems originally developed the system as part of a fast-response Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency program to provide RPG protection for high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles. Army officials conducted more than 50 live-fire tests to validate the performance and optimize the engineering design. The modular design proved effective at preserving the integrity of the vehicle and safety of the crew in those tests.

Based on its success with Army and Marine Corps combat units, BAE Systems is designing LROD kits for other combat vehicles, including the Light Armored Vehicle BV-206 and the Amphibious Assault Vehicle both manufactured by the company. Small boats also could be protected by the LROD system.

LROD is standard equipment on the Army Buffalo explosive ordnance disposal vehicle. BAE Systems has delivered more than 100 LROD kits to the Army, with additional kits slated for the Marine Corps' Buffalo vehicles. BAE Systems also is completing LROD designs for the company's RG33-series mine-protected vehicles.

BAE Systems is a global defense and aerospace company, delivering a full range of products and services for air, land, and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions, and customer support services. BAE Systems, with 88,000 employees worldwide, had 2006 sales that exceeded $25 billion.