General Dynamics, STERLING HEIGHTS: The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics, a contract for $189 million for 151 new eight-wheeled Light Armored Vehicles (LAV-A2) in various configurations. This award, which includes a $50 million option for 394 LAV-A2 electric turret drives, modifies a contract awarded in February 2006 and brings the total value of the contract to $317 million.
The LAV-A2 variants are improved versions of the Marines' Light Armored Vehicle series, which entered service in the 1980s and continues operational employment today. General Dynamics will deliver armored personnel, anti-tank, command and control, logistics and mortar variants beginning in July 2007. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Mich.; Woodbridge, Va.; and London, Ontario, Canada, by existing General Dynamics Land Systems personnel. Work is expected to be completed by December 2008.
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(Top, right) Maj. Gen. Willie J. Williams, commanding general, Marine Corps Logistics Command, and Michael T. Madden, LogCom executive deputy, get picked up for a spin in a recently armored LAV-A2 in front of Building 3500. Standing next to the LAV is Tim Minatee, LAV line work leader, Maintenance Center Albany, and Heidi Roe, LAV project lead. This particular LAV-A2 is the first completed model of more than 80 that are undergoing extra armor protection at the center for use by U.S. Marines fighting in Iraq.
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The Light Armored Vehicle A2 provides the Marine Corps' Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion a mobile, agile and survivable system for conducting offensive and defensive operations in support of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The eight-wheeled amphibious armored vehicle is equipped with an improved suspension, fitted for enhanced armor protection, and features an automatic fire-suppression system for crew protection. Power is provided by a Detroit Diesel 6V53T diesel engine, developing 275 horsepower, coupled to an Allison MT653, six-speed (five forward, one reverse) automatic transmission. The four rear wheels drive the vehicle on a full-time basis, while eight-wheel-drive is selectable.
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 81,900 people worldwide and had 2005 revenue of $21.2 billion. The company is a market leader in mission-critical information systems and technologies; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and business aviation.
