General Dynamics to upgrade Abrams tanks

General Dynamics' Land Systems business unit has won a contract to upgrade 60 M1A2 Abrams tanks with new command and control systems and other technology updates.

General Dynamics won a $141 million contract to upgrade 60 M1A2 Abrams tanks with new command and control systems and other updates, said officials from the Falls Church, Va.-based company. General Dynamics' Land Systems business unit won the contract.

The latest System Enhancement Package configuration will be installed to upgrade the tanks for the U.S. Army TACOM Lifecycle Management Command.

The System Enhancement Package is a fully digitized platform that has the latest command and control system as well as second-generation thermal sights.

The retrofit is part of an overall M1A2 tank upgrade program that integrates new information technologies to improve warfighting capability with enhanced features such as color maps and displays, high-density computer memory, increased microprocessing speed and networked communications.

Work is scheduled to begin in July and will be performed in Lima, Ohio; Anniston, Ala.; Sterling Heights, Mich.; Tallahassee, Fla.; Scranton, Pa.; and Fort Hood, Texas, by existing General Dynamics employees.

Vehicle deliveries to General Dynamics are scheduled for January through October 2007, with vehicles delivered to the U.S. Army in January 2008.

General Dynamics provides mission-critical information systems and technologies, combat systems, armaments and munitions, shipbuilding and marine systems, and business aviation to federal and commercial clients.

The company employs about 70,100 employees worldwide and had 2004 revenue of $19.2 billion; it is No. 5 on Washington Technology's 2005 Top 100 list of prime government contractors.