| New Orleans, LA. - October 17, 2006
- Textron Marine & Land, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc.
(NYSE: TXT) company, has been awarded a contract modification by the U.S. Army
Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) to manufacture 64 Armored Security
Vehicles (ASV) for a new configuration called the M707 Armored Knight. Approximately
$35 million or 75 percent of the contract value has been awarded, pending final
contract negotiations.
The Armored Knight is the ASV
equipped with a sensor package that is used to locate and designate targets for
indirect fire and laser guided weapons. The newly configured ASV will be used
by Field Artillery Combat Observation and Lasing Teams (COLT) to carry out these
missions.
Clay Moise, vice president of business development,
Textron Marine & Land said, "The ASV is perfect for this mission. It's
a light, agile wheeled combat vehicle with 360 degree armor protection against
small arms fire, can withstand anti-tank land mines under any wheel and artillery
burst fragments overhead."
"We're excited
to be chosen to produce another variant of the ASV to provide even more protection
to our soldiers," said Tom Walmsley, general manager of Textron Marine &
Land.
"The Armored Knight is the only system in
production with target accuracy equivalent to the delivery accuracies of today's
precision-guided munitions, such as JDAM and Excalibur," Moise added. The
ASV vehicle will be provided to DRS Technologies, prime contractor for the Armored
Knight and responsible for the integration of the sensor and Mission Equipment
Package.
The total requirement for the program has
been listed at 345 vehicles.
More than 450 ASVs have
been deployed in the Global War on Terrorism in support of convoy protection and
other combat missions. TM&L has delivered more than 535 vehicles to date.
About the ASV
The ASV is a 4X4 wheeled armored
vehicle that offers exceptional crew protection through the employment of multiple
layers of armor that provides defense against small arms fire, artillery projectile
fragments, and land mines. This advanced armor is exceedingly lightweight and
allows the vehicle to be able to "roll-on/roll-off" C-130 military transport
aircraft. The ASV possesses superior mobility, agility, handling, and ride quality
through the utilization of a four-wheel independent suspension system. Textron
Marine & Land has equipped the U.S. Army Military Police version with a specially
designed dual-weapon station that, unlike many other vehicles, enables the crew
to load, reload and clear gun jams under full armor protection. With minor modifications
and appropriate outfitting, ASV variants include operation as a scout vehicle,
infantry personnel carrier, reconnaissance, command and recovery vehicle.
About Textron Systems
Textron Systems Corporation ("Textron
Systems") provides innovative technology solutions to meet the needs of the
defense, homeland security and aerospace communities. The company is known for
its precision smart weapons, surveillance systems, complex intelligence and communications
systems, aircraft control components, piston engines, specialty marine craft and
armored vehicles. Textron Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avco Corporation.
Avco Corporation is wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc. More information is
available at www.textronsystems.com. About
Textron
Textron Inc. is a $10 billion multi-industry company operating
in 33 countries with approximately 37,000 employees. The company leverages its
global network of aircraft, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers
with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for
its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft, Jacobsen, Kautex,
Lycoming, E-Z-GO and Greenlee, among others. More information is available at
www.textron.com. Media
Contact:
David Whitaker
504-254-6795
dwhitaker@tmls.textron.com
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