| New
Orleans, LA - April 22, 2008 - Textron Marine & Land Systems, an operating
unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, the Red River Army
Depot and the U.S. Army celebrated the first refurbished M1117 Armored Security
Vehicle in a joint roll out ceremony. The first vehicle roll out was part of the
contract modification awarded in October 2007 by the United States Army Tank Automotive
and Armaments Command (TACOM) for a pilot program to reset five M1117 Armored
Security Vehicles (ASV). The ceremony on April 8 celebrated
the public-private venture teaming Textron Marine & Land Systems (TMLS) and
the Red River Army Depot (RRAD). The reset process takes ASVs that have been in
the field for a lengthy period of time or have battle damage and restores them
to combat-ready status with the latest vehicle configurations. In this venture,
TMLS acts as the prime contractor to provide material, technical data, and program
management, while the Red River Army Depot contributes labor and facilities to
complete the reset. Work for this program takes place in Texarkana, Texas, and
New Orleans, Louisiana. "This is a significant event
for the war fighter," said Tom Walmsley, senior vice president and general
manager of Textron Marine & Land Systems. "It allows heavily used equipment
to be made 'like new' and provides extended life for the ASV without the cost
burden of purchasing new equipment." Data collected
from the pilot effort will allow the Army to efficiently and effectively determine
the size, scope and affordability of the total ASV reset operation.
About
the ASV
The ASV is a 4X4 wheeled armored vehicle that offers significant
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, along with its dimensions,
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 M1117 ASV 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 can perform a wide variety of missions
including scout, infantry personnel carrier, reconnaissance, and command and recovery.
Current missions of the ASV include operations with the Military Police, convoy
protection, and Field Artillery Combat Observation and Lasing Teams (COLT). Its
record of performance, reliability and survivability in the field is impeccable.
More than 1000 ASVs have been deployed in the U.S. Army operations around the
globe. Textron Marine & Land has built more than 1,300 vehicles to date. About
Textron Systems
Textron Systems Corporation has been providing innovative
solutions to the defense, homeland security and aerospace communities for over
50 years. Known for its precision smart weapons, intelligent battlefield systems,
surveillance systems, intelligence software solutions, aircraft control components,
piston engines, armored vehicles and unmanned aircraft systems, Textron Systems
includes AAI, HR Textron, Lycoming Engines, Overwatch Geospatial Operations, Overwatch
Tactical Operations, Textron Defense Systems, and Textron Marine & Land Systems.
Textron Systems Corporation is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Textron
Inc. More information is available at www.textronsystems.com. About
Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a $13.2 billion multi-industry company
operating in 34 countries with approximately 44,000 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 Company, Jacobsen,
Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Fluid & Power, Textron Systems and Textron
Financial Corporation. More information is available at www.textron.com.
Media Contacts:
David Whitaker
Textron
Marine & Land Systems
(504) 254-6795
dwhitaker@tmls.textron.com | 
