BAE Systems Secures $21 Million Follow-on Order for New Armor Kits

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- BAE Systems has been awarded a $21 million order from Textron Marine and Land Systems (TM&LS) to build and deliver more than 420 armor protection kits for Armored Security Vehicles (ASV).

This is a follow-on order to a contract for ASV armor panels valued at $10.5 million that BAE Systems announced in March of this year.

Through its long-standing relationship with TM&LS, BAE Systems has produced more than 2,500 armor kits for the highly maneuverable, four-wheel drive ASV.

“This follow-on order underscores BAE Systems position as a leader in innovative armoring technologies," said Don Dutton, Vice President of Platform Survivability for BAE Systems. “It’s reassuring to know that our ASV armor kits will continue to play a vital role in the protection of these mission critical vehicles which help save the lives of U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

Under the agreement, BAE Systems will produce armor panels for the M1117 ASV, which is a turreted, lightly armored, all-wheel drive combat vehicle often used by U.S. Military Police and convoy security units. The company is also building armor kits for the M1200 Armored Knight, which is an ASV variant equipped with a laser guided sensor package, allowing for precise laser targeting of ground and air delivered munitions.

The BAE Systems’ appliqué armor panels will be installed at TM&LS, and then the armored ASVs will be delivered to the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM).

Work on the order will begin immediately at BAE Systems’ facilities in Phoenix, Arizona, with final deliveries expected to be completed by spring 2011.

BAE Systems is a leading provider of soldier protective and load carriage equipment in the United States, producing a significant portion of the nation’s body armor, tactical vests, combat helmets and load carrying systems. Not only is the company focused on the design, development and production of leading edge survivability products, its integration of advanced materials into manufacturing, rigorous product testing, and field trials support the company’s focus on the men and women who serve in the armed forces.