Reprinted with Permission

April 9, 2002

Textron [TXT] yesterday said it has been awarded a contract, for an undisclosed value, by the MOWAG subsidiary in Switzerland of Canada's General Motors Defense [GM] to provide 16 turret weapon stations for use on Piranha III light armored vehicles being acquired for the Spanish marine corps.

"This win not only demonstrates our ability to design and build innovative weapon systems, but offers greater protection and added capabilities for U.S. military and NATO forces as well," Clay Moise, the vice president for business development with Textron Marine & Land Systems, said in a statement. "We are pleased that the Spanish government specified our product, thus allowing us this opportunity to work with MOWAG."

Under the contract, Textron will provide its 40/50 turret weapon stations, which are armed with a Mk 19 40mm automatic grenade launcher and a M2 .50 caliber machinegun, for the Spanish Piranha IIIs.

MOWAG in December was awarded a contract to provide 18 Piranha IIIs for the Spanish marine infantry forces. The vehicles are to be delivered starting at the end of 2003 and will also include command post and ambulance variants.

Textron's 40/50 turret is more commonly used on the company's V-150 family of light armored vehicles, including the U.S. Army's XM1117 Armored Security Vehicles (ASV).

Under current plans, the Army would terminate its purchase of ASVs following FY '03, after the delivery of 94 vehicles.