Wilmington, Mass. - July 29, 2004 - Textron Marine & Land, an operating unit of Textron Systems, based in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been awarded a contract by the United States Project and Contracting Organization (PCO), on behalf of the Iraqi Minister of Interior, to manufacture additional Armored Security Vehicles (ASVs). The contract, valued at $50 million, is for the production of 43 ASVs for the newly formed Iraqi Civil Intervention Force and will be employed in the ongoing effort to provide security and stability in Iraq.
"The ASVs that have been operating with the U.S. Army's Military Police have proven to be an invaluable asset in Operation Iraqi Freedom -- offering critical protection for operations in urban-centric environments," said B. Clay Moïse, Vice President of Marine and Combat Vehicles. "The ASV is small enough to be extremely agile and mobile in a concentrated environment, while remaining tremendously capable off road. Thus, they have the ability to respond quickly, no matter the environment or terrain."
"But more importantly, the crew is protected at a level much greater than ever before, giving the user the staying power needed to safely quell skirmishes and restore peace," continued Moïse. "This latest contract is not only a validation of the ASV's capabilities, but of its suitability to serve in many types of roles -- such as command and control, armored personnel carrier, reconnaissance, scout and many others."
This latest award brings the total number of production vehicles awarded to Textron to 175. The majority of the new ASVs will be used as Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) - and will be specially designed "stretched" versions of the vehicle with the capacity to accommodate up to 10 fully outfitted crewmembers. The rest will be configured as Command and Control vehicles and will be outfitted with specialized communication and navigation equipment. Each of the ASVs will include a Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) overpressure system, which seals the vehicle from outside air and provides protection against related threats.
Work for this contract award will begin immediately, with the first deliveries expected to take place by November of this year and full delivery to be completed by July of 2005. Based on previous requests from the military commander in Iraq, in the form of an "Urgent Request for Fielding," ASV production had been accelerated to one vehicle per week. Based on this award, total production quantities will further increase to four vehicles per week. The company has the current capacity to produce up to 32 vehicles per month. All work will be completed at Textron's facility in New Orleans.
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 medium caliber armor-piercing machine gun fire, large artillery fragments, and land mines. This advanced armor is exceedingly lightweight and allows the vehicle to be able to "roll on/roll off" military transport aircraft. The ASV possesses superior mobility, agility, handling and ride quality through the utilization of a new all-wheel independent suspension. Textron Cadillac Gage has equipped the ASV with a specially designed dual-weapon station that, unlike many other vehicles, enables all ammunition reload to be performed under armor and allows the crew to remain protected from enemy fire.
About Textron Systems www.systems.textron.com Textron Systems Corporation, an operating division of Textron subsidiary Avco Corporation, provides innovative technology solutions to meet the needs of the global aerospace and defense industries. The company supports military precision engagement and dominant maneuver with strike weapons, mobility and surveillance systems. The Textron name is well known in the areas of advanced weapons, surveillance systems, aircraft control components, specialty marine craft and armored vehicles.
About Textron Inc. www.textron.com Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a $10 billion multi-industry company with more than 43,000 employees in 40 countries. 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, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO and Greenlee, among others.