“Our
tested and proven gunner protection system not only protects
our warfighters from harm, but it also gives them enhanced
situational awareness on the battlefield,” said
Robert Houston, vice president of Readiness and Sustainment
at BAE Systems. “While the U.S. Marine Corps has
been the dominant user of the gun protection system capability,
the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy have also used the systems
in combat and experienced positive results.”
The
Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement will receive 135 gun
protection systems and the HMMWV will receive 384.
The
gunner protection system kits further enhance survivability
by providing improved target acquisition capability and
protection from small arms fire and improvised explosive
device (IED) fragments. BAE Systems’ transparent
armored gun shield units have been configured for a wide
range of vehicles, including Bradley, M1 Abrams, M113,
Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement, HMMWV Logistics Vehicle
System, Assault Amphibious Vehicle – Personnel and
for the Stryker Common Ballistic Shield. The additional
contract order will bring the total number of MCTAGS kits
sold to 11,157, since the program started in 2005.
The
kits will be assembled at the BAE Systems facility in
Louisville, Kentucky, with the Battery Powered Motorized
Traversing Unit to be assembled at the company’s
Fairfield, Ohio facility. Delivery is anticipated to be
complete by the end of 2011.
