US Army M1A1/A2 Tanks to Get Urban Survivability Kits

Released on Tuesday, August 29, 2006

The U.S. Army has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics, $45 million to produce and install 505 Tank Urban Survivability Kits (TUSK) for Abrams main battle tanks supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Continued deployment and world operations have emphasized the priority to update existing tanks with increased capability. To this end, General Dynamics, in partnership with the Army's project manager, Heavy Brigade Combat Team, created the Abrams TUSK. An add-on kit for M1A1 and M1A2-series tanks to enhance crew survivability in urban environments, TUSK consists of a Loader's Armor Gun Shield (LAGS), a Tank Infantry Phone (TIP), Abrams Reactive Armor Tiles (ARAT), a Remote Thermal Sight (RTS) and a Power Distribution Box (PDB).

Work will be performed in Tallahassee, Fla.; Westminster, Md.; Lima, Ohio; Sterling Heights, Mich.; Eynon, Pa.; and Southwest Asia by existing General Dynamics employees and is expected to be complete by April 2009.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a business unit of General Dynamics, has been awarded a $30 million competitive contract from U.S. Army Tank Automotive and Armaments Command (Picatinny, New Jersey) for the production of reactive armor tile sets to equip Abrams tanks. Total contract value could reach $59 million if all contract options are exercised. General Dynamics has been a leading producer of reactive armor for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle since 1995, with $417 million in Bradley reactive armor orders to date.

Reactive armor that currently equips the U.S. Army Bradley Fighting Vehicle is already saving lives and preventing crippling damage to combat vehicles in Iraq. The system is made up of tiles that fasten to the exterior of the vehicles. Equipped with the General Dynamics' reactive armor, combat vehicles are better able to withstand a direct hit from a variety of anti-armor munitions, including the shoulder-fired rocket propelled grenades that are prevalent in many of today's regional conflicts.

The production program will be directed from the General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products' Burlington Technology Center, Burlington, Vt., with U.S. tile production occurring at the company's reactive armor facility in Stone County Operations, McHenry, Miss. Work will be completed by August 2009.