Posted on 02/07/2006 7:39:29 AM PST by Cannoneer No. 4
General Dynamics Land Systems in Sterling Heights, MI received a $128.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for Light Armored Vehicles (LAV) and Supporting Logistics and Engineering Products. According to General Dynamics, this is increment of a $257 million contract for 130 new eight-wheeled LAV-A2 vehicles in armored personnel (LAV-PC), anti-tank (LAV-AT), command & control (LAV-C2), logistics (LAV-L), and mortar (presumably LAV-EFSS) variants for the U.S. Marine Corps.
Note that these are improved variants of the the LAV Gen II models used by the Marines et. al. since the 1980s, rather than LAV IIIs which are called Stykers in the USA. These eight-wheeled amphibious armored vehicles are equipped with an improved suspension, fitted for enhanced armor protection and feature 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, 6 speed (5 forward, 1 reverse) automatic transmission. The four rear wheels drive the vehicle on a full-time basis, but eight-wheel drive is selectable.
The contract has a total potential value of $307 million if a $50 million option for electric turret drives is exercised. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, MI (7%), and London, Ontario, Canada (93%), and is expected to be complete by June 30, 2008. This was a sole source contract initiated on Aug. 10, 2005 by the Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, MI (W56HZV-06-C-0255).
That's a nice little grocery getter if I may say so myself !.......:o)
I always wondered why the stryker didn't have the 25mm chain gun.
Semper Fi,
TS
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